Best Homeschool Advice EVER!

The summer before my oldest daughter's freshman year of high school, she decided she wanted to homeschool. Since I was working outside the home at the time and she was the oldest of 4, her dad and I made her jump through some pretty impressive hoops to convince us she was serious. (Think research into how homeschooling would help her with her future career choice and a powerpoint presentation about why she wanted to homeschool.) She jumped through our hoops like a champ and our homeschool journey began.

That first year was rough on me emotionally...I was certain that my child would end up homeless, careerless and destitute on the side of the road and it would be all my fault because I failed her as her teacher. 

A bit dramatic, I know!

After one year of homeschooling my oldest, her younger sisters decided that big sister had a sweet gig and they wanted in, so now I was homeschooling 3 girls who all learned very differently while juggling a preschooler and a part-time job as a children's pastor, all the while still secretly certain I was going to mess everything up and my kids would be failures all because of me!

During that year a colleague reached out to me on Facebook and asked how I was doing. Praise the Lord I had the sense to answer her honestly and share my concerns instead of putting on a brave face and pretending everything was fine!  My honesty and openness led to a deeper conversation where I learned that she was a former homeschool mom whose kids had grown and were now productive members of society. 

She did it! She had been were a was and where I someday hoped to be! The best part was that she understood my dismay and despair that I'd mess up, because she had experienced it too! Suddenly I was not alone!

This wonderful woman, whom God prompted to connect with me at just the right time, shared the most valuable piece of advice I have ever received as a homeschool parent. This advice was so valuable that I took a screen shot of our messenger conversation, printed it out, tacked it to a bulletin board and looked at it every day for the next 4 years. I still have that printout, and from time to time I come across it and just smile, so I want to share that piece of advice with you.

It is profound.

It is amazing.

It is simply this...

"Remember, everything is learning."

Everything you do with your child when learning at home, is learning. 

Did they help you cook dinner? They're learning!

Did they take a walk in the woods? They're learning!

Did they read a book? They're learning!

Did they do a lesson in their assigned curriculum? They're learning!

Did you visit a museum or historical center? They're learning!

Did they play a board game? They're learning?

Did they play in the mud and chase frogs? They're learning!

Did they dress up their pets and set up a photo shoot? They're learning!

Did they watch YouTube and learn to make a tea bag float using a match? They're learning!

We can get so caught up in curriculum and the expectations of public school that we forget our children learn from everything they do!

Right now we are living through a season where every parent is doing some form of teaching their child at home. I've seen many parents express concern that they aren't doing enough, or they aren't doing it right or their children are going to be so far behind, or doing the assignments teachers are doing their best to put together in a pinch are too much or not enough. 

I've never been exactly in your shoes, but I know the anxiety that comes from feeling like you're going to mess up, so let me pass on the most important thing you need to know right now:

Remember, everything is learning.

My graduates from left of right:
Kandice, Wright Academy Class of 2017, Children's Ministry Major at Trinity Bible College
Noah, Wright Academy Class of 2019, teller at Industrial Credit Union
Jenny, Wright Academy Class of 2015, artist, wife and mother (her son Rowan in her arms)

My fourth and final student
Arthur, Wright Academy Class of 2026