Homeschooling? Time to embrace the suck!

Every year more and more parents are choosing to skip the typical educational mold and homeschooling their kids at home. After eight years of homeschooling my three children here is the most important thing I have learned.

I won't lie, when I first began homeschooling my kids, I had ZERO idea what I was doing. Years later, I won't say I have it all figured out because that is simply not possible. However, I have reached a place of acceptance on what homeschooling actually means. It's about building an education experience that fits YOUR kids. One simple military phrase my husband loves so much has helped tremendously along our journey; embrace the suck and move the fuck along. It's never going to be perfect. You will probably spend half of your school year questioning your ability and your sanity, but that doesn't mean you are doing it wrong.

Learning to Embrace the Suck

"It's not always going to be pretty. The trick is starting each day new and not holding onto the bull shit of yesterday."

Homeschooling is hard no matter how you approach it. The trick is learning to accept that it's probably not going to be exactly what you thought it was. Let go of what you pictured and allow life to unfold around you. Learning is a fluid creature. Embracing the crazy is all part of the process. Don't be afraid to tailor make your teaching style based off of your family's lifestyle and needs. If your kiddo is just honestly NOT having lesson time allow them a physical outlet for a bit and try again. Some days you're going to get everything done and then some. Other days you'll give up after beating your head against a brick wall for hours. Constantly fighting through lessons is only going to leave both you and your kids frustrated. Set up your day in a way that works for you! Don't get stuck on the typical school hours. For our family that has normally meant a four-day school week, starting about 9am with hands on lessons with me, followed by a two-hour lunch break about one. During that time my children know that unless someone is bleeding, or about to be, I am simply off limits. This quiet time is for their safety too! After lunch break is over, they finish their independent studies for a few hours before they wrap everything up for the day.

"You are not alone in feeling overwhelmed. We ALL are. I promise."

No two homes will homeschool exactly the same way. That's actually a good thing. The beauty of being at home is focusing on what works for you. Not worrying about what another family is doing is all part of embracing the suck. This is about your journey. Not theirs. Sometimes I see others posting about all the amazing things they did that day for lessons. Meanwhile, I would be at home crying because all we managed to do that day was the bare minimum, and I lost my damn sanity in the process. Trying to fit into the mold another family creates will only ruin yours. Let go and find what works for YOUR family without worry of what others are doing.

If you are getting up each day and trying your best, then I promise you that you are doing the damn thing. Don't be afraid to reach out to others who are on the same, or similar, journey to you and talk. One of the most powerful things we can do to help other Mamas is to show the full story. Not the pretty Instagram version, but the whole wonderfully chaotic picture. The good, the bad, and everything in between.

Most importantly just remember... You got this, Mama.