An Honest Look At Homeschool Struggles
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Let's be honest. Homeschool struggles are real.
Because there's no use hiding the truth. All that does it make it build up and you feel worse than ever.
And more alone.
You chose this life, right? You may wondering that if you made the decision to embark upon this path, why you're having such a time.
Maybe you feel the need to be perfect? You put pressure on yourself to do everything, be everything. When things don't happen the way you think they should, you experience a state of intense discomfort that interferes with your functioning.
This post in the first of a series that will be taking an honest look at common homeschool struggles. We'll look at who, what, when, where, why, and how homeschoolers struggle. My hope is that with this series (and a few additional resources) will help homeschoolers accept, deal with, and overcome their homeschool struggles.
What are Homeschool Struggles?
Homeschoolers often operate under preconceived notions that we "should" be happy or perfect or have it all together. We're blessed with the ability to be at home with our children. We're present to witness all the beautiful learning moments-those "aha" moments that light up the faces of our kids. We have a say in what and how our children are learning. We don't have worries that public school parents face, like violence or bullying.
We do, however, have a lot on our plates. We're responsible for the education of our children, a massive responsibility that we take on for the benefit of our family. Plus, we have the everyday tasks of home management, appointments, special events, and extracurricular activities.
To add fuel to the fire, many homeschoolers may not have support from family and friends. We're often challenged by others with a lot of questions about our children's well-being, like socialization and academic preparedness. We may have financial concerns due to living on a single income and paying for curriculum. We may feel alone, overwhelmed, and scared.
When we place all of these conditions into a pot and stir them up, we often end up with a stew of Homeschool Struggles.
You Are Not Alone!
No one is perfect. You're a human being with everyday cares and concerns that can morph into significant struggles. Your struggles (common to non-homeschoolers as well) might look like:
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Chronic Illness
- Overwhelm
- Lack of Organization
- Comparison
- Financial
- Loneliness/Misunderstood
As a homeschooler, however, these issues become unique to your situation. These common struggles can be intensified with the extra responsibilities of homeschooling.
The main problem: You might not feel comfortable admitting that you're trying to deal with these types of struggles. You don't want to admit that you aren't perfect. Or maybe you worry that you won't be able to homeschool your kids if anyone finds out about your imperfections? Or that others will judge and make you feel even more like you aren't enough? Or "I should just be able to deal with this! Everyone else is fine! Why can't I get my act together?". Sound familiar?
Truth bomb: Every single homeschooler that I know and have chatted with deals with some type of struggle. I've yet to meet any homeschooler (or human being, for that matter!) that doesn't struggle with something.
Whether it is clinical and requires professional care or mild and can be remedied with DIY self-help, homeschool moms deal with struggles.
And that's okay. It's part of the human condition. And it can lead to growth and positive change.
Why Talking About & Dealing with Homeschool Struggles Is Important
First, it's important to break the stigma of homeschool struggles. Talking about it to help you acknowledge, understand, and overcome.
It's like in Harry Potter. Witches and wizards were terrified of saying the name "Voldemort". Frantic whispers of "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" could often be heard in the wizarding world. There was a misconceived notion that saying the word would add power to the name and, therefore, the evil wizard.
Hogsmeade! I was going to say Hogwash but we'll stick with a Harry Potter theme here.
In the homeschooling world, frantic whispers of struggles can often be heard. "Overwhelm", "anxious", and "depressed" are omitted because you can't let others know of your struggles. Won't that just add to their powers? Isn't it better to just walk around and act like nothing is wrong, while your homeschool life is miserable?
Ignoring the problem won't make it go away. Sure, the old advice of "fake it 'til you make it" can help in certain situations. But, only for so long if nothing substantial is done to address and solve the underlying problems.
It's time that we let go of the fear of acknowledging our homeschool struggles. It's time that we stand together as a homeschool community and build each other up with our own unique strengths.
The forces of good always defeat evil, right? Do those good forces do it on their own? No! They combine powers to wipe out all that's negative and bad.
We Shall Overcome Homeschool Struggles
With the power of positive thinking strategies, authenticity, and community, we shall overcome homeschool struggles.
Hearing that you're not alone in your struggle can be therapeutic. You can make connections and start to work on an effective solution.
You're not alone in this journey of homeschooling. You don't have to continue to feel frazzled, scared, or exhausted. You don't need to feel like you have no idea what to do, with your mind drawing a blank as to what to do next.
You can discover you inner homeschool mom powers.
Why am I so passionate about helping other homeschool moms? It's kind of like the Force in Star Wars. When we work together, creating effective and fun homeschools for all to enjoy, we're building up a powerful, positive force.
You CAN enjoy your homeschool adventures. And you CAN overcome homeschool struggles that interfere with your homeschool happiness.
You have all that it takes to relax, have fun, and connect with your kids while learning at home.
Because you are enough.
Find out more about how to overcome homeschool struggles:
Overcoming Homeschool Anxiety: Interview & Tips
What To Do When Feeling Overwhelmed In Your Homeschool
What To Do When Time Management Is A Homeschool Struggle
What To Do When You Have Anger With Your Homeschool
Homeschool Comparison: What Is It and How to Overcome