I had a great time in Texas last week! I got to meet so many new people at the Great Homeschool Convention in Round Rock, Texas, and visit my three older boys who live in Austin. An added bonus was that they got to see what their crazy mom does! They even helped me set up my booth. Such a blessing.
At every conference I go to, I hand out small posters with my favorite quote:
I was recently asked by a mom how I did it when all five of my boys were home. How did I teach all of them at their different levels? All the different subjects? And then grade everything too? I’ve had other parents ask how I do it all now, working full time and homeschooling only one kid.
I didn’t, and I don’t.
We all want to be a superhero to our kids. We are the cook, taxi driver, event coordinator, education facilitator, and chief bather and bottle washer, among many other things. And just like in the comic books and movies, sometimes the superhero fails. Sometimes they need help.
As a homeschooler, I’m always so excited to get started at the beginning of the year. We have all the materials, and I’ve taken the time to plan and organize. We begin losing momentum a little after Thanksgiving, but I change things up for the holidays, and we make it through. I re-evaluate at the first of the year and then get going again, but it hits me big time after a couple of months. Burn Out.
After almost 20 years of homeschooling, I can see the cycles. Each year in February or March, I feel it again. If I’m going to think about giving up, this is when it happens. I start questioning why I am doing what I’m doing. I’ve talked to other veteran homeschoolers, and I’m not the only one.
So, how do I keep on going?