The beauty of fall is here! I’m loving it, how about you? Cooler days, beautiful sunshine, and lovely leaves all make for one of the best seasons… if it wasn’t for the frustration with some of our homeschool curricula. How about you? Does the fall often bring with it a little disenchantment with the new homeschool curricula you thought was going to solve all your problems? Yeah, that happens here too!
It’s easy to get desperate when things seem to be an uphill battle every day, but don’t despair. There are solutions out there that will help you get out of the rut you’re in and on the road to enjoying this amazing fall!
- Take inventory. Don’t let another day pass you by without checking into “Why” you are frustrated. Take a few minutes to write everything down. Then take another few minutes to write down the things that would make you happy right now.
- Look at that list – is there anything on it that you can change now? Is there anything that you don’t have to live with? Is there any way to incorporate the things on your “happy” list? There are times when it’s the curricula that is the source of frustration. Don’t hesitate to make an adjustment. So often we believe the lie that we have to live with a bad choice simply because it cost a lot of money. If this is the source of your despair – ditch that bad choice and move on to greener pastures. Are you worried about the cost? Ah, dear friend -please don’t! Enduring every day with stress and frustration is much more costly in the long run.
- Look at other options. There are so many great resources out there for homeschoolers, it’s often surreal. If you’ve spent all your budget on a curriculum that just didn’t work – explore free or low-cost homeschool alternatives. Downside: free often involves a lot of planning and organizing.
- Lighten your load. If you’ve been stressed and are about to give up homeschooling completely, it may be time to find a way to lighten your load. Each homeschool curricula require some level of parental time investment. That time requirement can range from a few minutes a week to hours each day. If you’ve been stressed, it may be best to consider options that are less of a time investment. Don’t worry, you’re children will not suffer. That’s another misconception we parents tend to believe… if we aren’t loaded down teaching our children every aspect of their schooling something will suffer. Not true! There are good online homeschool curriculum options that take a load of grading and record keeping off of your shoulders so you can enjoy discovery, learning, and all of the joyful things that come from being a homeschool parent.
- Find joy. Find something every day that causes you joy and relish in that moment. Remember, it’s the little things that mean so much. Savor the goodness of that thing and take it one step further – say it out loud. “This is such a beautiful day!” “Chloe you’ve done so well today on your spelling – let’s go take a walk together and enjoy the sunshine.” Relish those moments, and you’ll feel the despair begin to lift.
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