5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials- Persevere

So, you have decided to homeschool. You've gotten off the wide and tax subsidized path of government education and have high hopes of providing your kids with academic challenge and excellence, great field trips, travel, intelligent conversation, enough rest, privacy, and maybe, at least, a bit of peace. That's your plan. I love that plan. I think I had that plan once. And then reality hits.


Never Give Up

You get sick, or pregnant, or are sick while pregnant, your kids can't decode a, e, or c and don't want to, the field trips are too expensive or too far away, you are getting constant pressure from nosy neighbors and school teacher relatives to allow your kids the exceptional experiences and opportunities that we all had in school, you realize that you don't know grammar, not much history and want, far more than intelligent conversation, to just be left alone for 5 minutes.

What to do?      
 Be clear on your Purpose, gather Your People, discover your Places, and Develop your Program.

Evaluate regularly and don't get so committed to form that you forget the function of what you are doing- Is homeschooling working and effective? Are there better, more cost effective, efficient, enjoyable ways of doing things?

You will find that homeschooling will take you on paths you didn't even know existed, but you will also find that you are probably far afield from familiar paths and places. You will most likely experience a learning curve, over and over again, as you manage the path, or blaze a trail called, "alternative education." Learning curves often leave you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted and like you know nothing. In those moments, where you feel drained and inadequate, it is easy to want to throw in the towel.

And sometimes, based on your purpose and clear evaluation of the situation, you will want to change directions. There is nothing magical about one method of education over another. All of them demand that you show up, on one level or another, most of them have different goals. Which is why its important to know what yours are.

And once you set them, persevere.

per·se·vere  [pur-suh-veer] /ˌpɜrsəˈvɪər/ Show Spelled

verb (used without object), per·se·vered, per·se·ver·ing.

1.to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.

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