10 Confessions of a Homeschool Mom

In a recent discussion with a few homeschool moms, the topic turned towards the face we put on for the public v. the realities of homeschooling.  That discussion left me thinking about all the things I, as a homeschool mom, rarely say.

1. Someone commented on my YouTube channel that my house always seems so clean.  HA!  Even if you take homeschooling out of the equation, I’m not a perfect housekeeper!   The gift of the camera, though, is that a mess can be out of sight.  If you watch enough of my videos, you’ll definitely see the mess!!
2. Somedays, I’m online too much.  I’m not proud of it.  But sometimes the lure of the internet draws me in more than it should.  I’m a work in progress.
3. One day, about halfway through the school year two years ago, Matthew brought me out to the garage, pointing to sidewalk chalk writing on the floor.  “Look!  My name!”  I completely forgot to teach Matthew how to write! Clearly, he had figured it out and learned to spell his name.  I call the story a good example of unschooling!!  {Framing it that way sounds like it was intentional!!}
4. I don’t always enjoy homeschooling. There are days that I fantasize about sending them to school and spending the day on the couch eating bonbons and watching soap operas (are they even still on??) Right now, homeschooling is what is best for my kids, so I do it.
5. But I do love learning alongside them.  I can’t believe how much I learn!  History, science, the whys behind math.  I love exploring and digging into topics.  I love piecing together parts of history that I never connected.
6. Many homeschool parents overinflate their kids’ abilities.  Perhaps as a way to prove they are rockin’ homeschool, perhaps a variety of other reasons.  But my kids?  They’re just average students!  They each have areas where they work above grade level, yes.  And there are other areas where they struggle.  I’m okay admitting that.  I wasn’t always but I am now.
7. Teaching my oldest to read was…challenging.  My expectations weren’t good, she had her own set of challenges we weren’t yet aware of.  It’s a story for another day.  But when it came time to teach my next one to read, I held off.  He was resistant.  I was confident that, once we started, he’d catch on quickly.  But his resistance combined with my reluctance after kiddo #1 meant that I didn’t even try to teach him to read until he was 7.  Right at his 7th birthday, we started with Phonics Pathway.  He went from not reliably knowing all the sounds to reading on grade level within six months.  Within a year of learning to read, he was above grade level.  By 9, he conquered Harry Potter.
8. I adore cooking.  It feeds my soul and serves as self-care.  It’s one of the ways I show love.  So, yeah, a lot of our meals are homemade and from as scratch as I can.  But I’m not one of those people that equates being a good mom/wife to cooking from scratch.  This year, I gave myself permission to do a meal each week that was mostly made at the store, like the fresh but pre-prepared meals you find near the deli.  I don’t do it every week but they certainly get utilized during busy weeks!
9. I lose my patience some days.  I wish I could say that I almost never lose my patience.  The upside of reality, though, is that I get to model apologies, do-overs and making amends!
10. At the end of the day, though, I really love homeschooling.  I really, really love it.  I am so thankful that we have this opportunity, however long it lasts.  Learning beside them, guiding them,