She’s teaching three lessons at co-op, she always remembers when it’s her turn to bring snack for Bible Study, and her kids always have shoes and coats on. Her kids know 47 languages and she finishes formal lessons by lunch every day.
You’re pretty sure her 8 year old just got his early acceptance letter from Harvard, and of course all of her kids are perfectly polite and socialized plenty. She’s that homeschooling mom. We all know her. The one that we all pictured ourselves being at one time or another.
Friends, I’m here to tell you, I’m not that homeschool mom. At all.
My kids learned sign language from Netflix because my two younger children had speech delays and signing was the only way to avoid tantrums.
My middle son often has melt downs, and likely won’t potty train until he’s in higher elementary.
This week my son did 90% of his school work on Friday because he was refusing the other days of the week and I didn’t have the energy to fight him.
The Day I Realized That I’m Not THAT Homeschooling Mom
I’m Not That Homeschooling Mom That Cooks
I’ve covered this on the blog before, but it’s worth mentioning again. I don’t cook. My kids have cold cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch pretty much every day. And no, I don’t make the sandwiches into fun shapes.
I really admire you mamas that make Pinterest-worthy lunches every single day, but I am certainly not that homeschooling mom. I made macaroni and cheese (from a box) last week and the kids thought it was a huge treat. I’m that homeschooling mom.
I’m Not That Homeschooling Mom Who’s Crafty
I try to be crafty, I really do, but it doesn’t work out. My best friend, mom, and sister are all wicked crafty. When I try to “help”? They can’t watch because my lines don’t come out straight and everything is off center.
I love going on Pinterest to pin the cutest DIY’s and Crafts, but don’t ask me how many projects on that board I’ve tried (0).
I am not that homeschooling mom! I made crafty Father’s Day gifts for the Chris and the boys’ biological dad one year, and probably haven’t really crafted since. I’m that homeschooling mom.
I’m Not That Homeschooling Mom Who Plans Field Trips
I always imagined that my homeschool would be so wonderful. I would have field trips with the kids all the time and we’d have tons of fun memories and experiences starting at a young age. In reality, that doesn’t happen.
Moms who come up with a creative and exciting while still educational field trip every single month are very impressive, but I am not that homeschooling mom.
We get a zoo membership, and sometimes we go to the free bug museum down the street. Also, McDonalds counts as a field trip because the play place is PE, right? I’m that homeschooling mom.
Basically, I have had to swallow my pride the last two years that I’ve been homeschooling to realize, quite simply, I’m not that homeschooling mom.
I’m the homeschooling mom that lets “jammie day!” happen at least once a week. I’m the homeschooling mom that knows sometimes we just need to snuggle and watch Magic School Bus and count it as “school”. I’m the homeschooling mom that makes sure there’s always a sharpened rainbow pencil because we all know that if a pencil isn’t rainbow, it gets the wrong answers.
But, I’m not that homeschooling mom, and I think I’m okay with that.
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You are exactly the homeschooling mama that you are supposed to be for your beautiful boys :o).
Oh thank you Miss Cullen! That is exactly the perspective homeschooling mamas need!
Thanks for your honesty. I am not “that mom” either, but I do love my kids and homeschooling! I made a Thanksgiving wreath last night with some friends and it just about bowled over my hubby and kids because I so rarely do anything crafty ;)
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Yes, even us non-Pinteresty moms sure love our kids and homeschooling! How fun that you got to get a little crafty!
You and me both, sister!! We are not ashamed!! :-)
Ann recently posted…What if I Don’t Wanna Give My Kid a Birthday Party?
Yes! So glad I’m not alone! :)
OMG!! We are exactly the same type of homeschooling mom!! Did I ever mention that I hate cooking and that figuring out and making sinner is my least favorite job? And who in the world actually has time to be crafty, anyway?
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Oh my goodness I’m the worst at cooking! I actually burnt cheerios once. Like, on fire. Apparently “hot cereal” means oat meal, not cheerios on the burner!
I feel this way all of the time.
I always feel like I am either too lax on the learning or too rigid. I don’t feel like we have a sense of balance at all.
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I completely understand that! Sometimes it feels like homeschooling is the best because we can take a few days off without it being a scheduled break, but other times I panic thinking my kids won’t know how to follow routine if I keep doing that! You know? I think eventually moms find their flow, but it can take a while. I’m sure you’re doing great, mama!
It’s like we’re the same person. Thank you for your transparency. I feel better now :)
So glad I’m not alone! Not *those* homeschooling moms unite! :)
Im very crafty but seem to fall down in most other areas. Particularly the group stuff. I hate socialising and so, it seems, does my home ed 7 year old. We just left the home ed camp early because we both felt like fish out of water. Excluded by our inability to join in. No one is perfect, no matter what they project.
I’m sorry that you had to leave early. I am not good with group activities either. <3
No ma’am you are NOT alone, at all! I’ve tried to “perform” – really I have! It’s absolutely the most exhausting thing ever. I have only homeschooled one year, my one and only child, (age 9) and it has been a major challenge to undo what public school did and also teach her what she needs to learn. I’ve had to question if I have made the right choice. The tough part is when you’ve got this huge list of reasons why you chose to homeschool, and all the reasons are very sane and legit, and even though that list still exists, homeschooling is not going smoothly enough to convince your family and friends that what you’re doing is not insane. We are going to try a second year… differently this time. If it’s still a battle, I guess it’ll be back to public school. My heart will break, and I’ll go off in some corner to lick my wounds and swallow my pride. I’m prepared to TRY to think positively about public school and the things she could possibly gain by going through the good and the bad of it. It’s tricky though… her time spent in public school previously was pretty darn stressful and damaging. Tough call. I feel like I’m tumbling through life sometimes.
Oh friend, we’ve been there! We’ve considered public schooling more times than I can count. I even wrote a whole post about it here. Even though we have our long list of reasons that we’re homeschooling, it can be such a struggle. Then we feel like we should just give up. Mama, you are not alone. Trust me. <3
umm..Magic School Bus ABSOLUTELY counts as school. Are you kidding? :) And I used to sort of be crafty, but now I have absolutely no tolerance for it. I’m not that homeschooling mom either, although we do love field trips!
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Im do glad that im not alone. I needed to read this like amonth ago. The above blog is me to the T. I have been actually woundering lately. Really? Am I cut out to be a homeschooling mom? I was told in the beginning(1st year here and teaching kindergarten) never compare you children to public school childrens knowledge. Yes, they probably do know more than your son isnt spending 8 hrs away from you learning necessary information. Im not out for my son to have the higgeat GPA. K(although that would be great! Just learning the basic this year😉 Any advice is greatly appreciated by me ,because im not that mom. Any advice for a Kindergartener that says, ” I hate schoo”. I mean what am I doing wrong ? My son helped make the finally decison by begging to do school at home. We have experience going to private schools for K3 and K4. Also my son is techinally beind from the beginning. But, I said we work extra hard and get caught up. 😢 It’s hard for me honestly being a homeschool mom but I wouldn’t have it any other way .
This is exactly the motivation I was looking for! To me, the most challenging is the transition. From one class to the next or from break time to class again. Thanks for this lovely article!