FROM “CAN’T” TO CAN

You CAN do this!

In less than 24 hours, thousands, if not millions, of families were suddenly thrust upon with an overwhelming task that was not by choice.

In less than 24 hours, almost every family in the U.S. became a homeschool family.  Public and private schools were forced to shut down to lessen the spread of COVID-19.

Suddenly, families had to figure out how to manage kids being home all day. These are stressful times.

I get it.

I’ve been homeschooling my kids for the last 5 years. I know what it felt like, in the beginning, trying to figure out what worked for my kids and what didn’t.

I know what it’s like to feel the anxiety and pressure to keep my kids occupied just to keep up with the busy schedule they were used to while in school.

I know what it was like transitioning from one set schedule to a different schedule.  There were tears, there was yelling, there was stress, and there was frustration.

And the worst part about all of this is feeling like I wasn’t equipped or trained to teach my children. I didn’t have a bachelor’s degree in education. I lacked creativity. All the Pinterest boards were a grim reminder that I could never create a classroom as awesome or as pretty as what I would see in the pictures.  I had no understanding what kind of curriculum was out there and if it would be a good fit for my kids.  I wasn’t even sure if I was truly giving the best to my kids in terms of their education.

I was a wreck. I second guessed myself. I compared myself too much. I kept telling myself that I was not meant for this and how I was not qualified.  Other homeschool moms were more qualified than me. That was always my excuse.  Someone could do it better than me.

But isn’t that the same thing we tell ourselves about other things?

Someone will always be a better mom than you.  Someone will always be more creative than you. Someone will always be a better cook than you.  Someone will always be better at keeping their lives organized than you. Someone will always be better than you.

But to your family, friends, and co-workers, they see something different.  They see someone who is irreplaceable, important, smart, and amazing.  Your kids don’t really care how well you teach or whether they have a rigorous curriculum that challenges them academically. They care about the time you give them, the love you show them, and the way you care for them.

Despite what you might think or tell yourself, you’re actually the best person to homeschool your kids.

Let me give you 3 good reasons why you CAN homeschool your kids:

1.  You know your kids better than anyone else.  You know what makes them tick. You know what sets them off. You know what motivates and what turns them off.  You have a history with them. You’re their biggest advocate.  You’re their mom.  Knowing how your child is geared gives you the necessary intel on how to teach them.  You’ll be able to teach with their strengths and weaknesses in mind.

2.  From the day your child was born, you managed to figure things out. Granted, there was no instruction manual on how to take care of babies.  Either you instinctively knew what to do or you sought help.  And look at where you are now. You’ve successfully raised kids. I’m sure there were rough patches along the way, but you learned from them, grew from it, and are now a better person because of it.  Homeschool is the same.You manage to figure things out; what works and what doesn’t work. Luckily, there are so many resources available to help you figure things out! There may be rough patches along the way, but you learn and grow.

3.  By God’s design, you already have what it takes to teach your kids.  Think about it. You’ve taught your kids how to stand, to walk, to use the potty, to eat, to dress themselves, to make their beds, to clean up after themselves, to say “please” and “thank you”, to be kind, to respect others, to help those in need, to have compassion, to be brave, and to love. You’ve been teaching them all along. If you can teach your kids life skills, then you are equipped to homeschool them as well.

So many times, I’ve agreed with the lies I tell myself.  Things like, “I’m not good enough”. Or “I don’t have what it takes”.  And the most common one, “I can’t teach my kids”.   Agreeing with these lies have robbed me of joy, opportunity for growth, and blessings.

The truth is, you do have what it takes. It takes courage and boldness to stand up and take a step. It might seem scary at first, but the victory is when you keep taking one step and then another, and then another, until you look up and see how far you’ve made it.

If you’re reading this and you’re just starting with homeschool, my advice is to take it slowly, take it easy, take it one day at a time. It takes some time to get into a rhythm.  There will be days when it feels overwhelming and challenging. But when that happens, take a break. Grab the kids and do something fun with them. Play a board game, read a book, or dance to your favorite songs.

The beauty of homeschool is the flexibility and freedom. No one else tells you what you should or shouldn’t be doing. If you feel like going on a field trip to a museum or the zoo, go for it!  If you want to spend half the day watching something on YouTube to learn something, do it!  If you want to spend time baking, make it count as a Home Economics class and have fun!  There are no limits when it comes to homeschooling!

If you’re homeschooling for the first time, leave me a comment below!  Tell me how things are going and if you found anything helpful that has worked for you.  This is a community where sharing is encouraged for the purpose of helping each other. We’re all in this together.

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