Spread the word!

Those days when you have no idea why you started homeschooling in the first place. Those days when your best friend asks how you are, and you just start crying. Those days where cold cereal is served for more than one meal. Those days that you’re incredibly overwhelmed with homeschooling. I’ve definitely had those days, in fact, I have them often. Today I decided to share an open letter with any other mamas who is overwhelmed with homeschooling and really feels like they just don’t want to be a grown up anymore.

To The Overwhelmed Homeschooling Mom

Being a homeschooling mom can be exhausting and overwhelming. Today I'm sharing a letter to other overwhelmed homeschooling moms.. You can do it!

Let me start off by saying, you are not alone, friend! If your children were in jammies until five minutes before Dad came home, or your day didn’t even “start” until 11 am, I’m right there with you. One thing I think we have trouble remembering sometimes is that, for many of us, this is one of the reasons we are homeschooling!

We didn’t want the public school system to tell our child they had to sit still and listen quietly from 8-3:30 every day. We wanted our kids to have a childhood! We wanted them to learn through life.. Real life.

And in real life? Sometimes we don’t make it out of our jammies. Sometimes we sleep in and have breakfast at noon. Sometimes we read a few books and watch the Magic School Bus and call it a school day. And that’s okay! It’s good, even. Homeschooling is so wonderful because you don’t need to stress about making sure every little thing gets done. You have time!

Sweet homeschooling mama, I know if you’re anything like me, you had nice pretty plans for what you’d do every day. It’s so hard seeing those change, isn’t it? Especially if you’re like me and wrote them in color-coded pen, ahem. It’s so easy to feel like we’re inadequate if our kids aren’t naming the 50 states and capitals while they recite multiplication facts and practice the violin and the piano because that homeschooling mom has her children doing it.

Being a homeschooling mom can be exhausting and overwhelming. Today I'm sharing a letter to other overwhelmed homeschooling moms.. You can do it!

We live in a world where the very best of ourselves can be shown to the world, while we keep our messes private. Mamas, how many times have you worn yourself out trying to make your life “Pinterest-Worthy”? It isn’t worth it. I would much rather be a happy, sane mother, than run around like a chicken with no head trying to dye my children’s pasta rainbow colors and make sure they have a new sensory bin daily!

Now this isn’t to say that Pinterest is bad, I love it! I get wonderful ideas from Pinterest, and I probably have over 5,000 pins. It’s just to say that after those bloggers write their wonderful posts for Pinterest, they probably have to deal with a toddler tantrum, or a four year old who still desperately needs a nap but insists he’s ‘too big’, or a baby who just. Won’t. Stop. Nursing. At least, I’d like to think they do. Because they’re humans, too. They’re moms just like we are!

One of my best friends and I became friends by talking about this. As moms we feel like we have to do so much! If we don’t throw an elaborately themed birthday party starting at age one, we’ve failed. Or if, heaven forbid we still haven’t finished the baby book that we started however many months ago.. Or years… Whatever, right? But you have not failed. You are the very best mom to your children that there ever could be.

Keep track of our successes. Are all of your children alive and [relatively] safe? You’re winning! Did your children eat today? [Yes it totally counts if it was normal food and not gmo-free-organic-gluten-free-local-everything-else-free food. I’d say it even counts if it was McDonalds, but I’m not a Pinterest mom. ;)] You’re winning! If you kissed boo-boos, or hugged goodnight, or sang their favorite song for the thousandth time… You are winning! And you are a great mother. Your kids skipping their second grade phonics lesson once or twice won’t keep them from college. Promise!

Even if your kids aren’t reciting Shakespeare yet. ;)

So homeschooling mama, take heart. Know that you are absolutely not alone, and that the days get easier. Your kids will love you whether you dye their pasta rainbow colors, or you just made the yummiest boxed macaroni and cheese.

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We all know "that homeschooling mom" and sometimes we even want to be her. I'm sharing all the ways that I'm not that homeschooling mom!I am not a pinterest mom. I don't throw crazy birthday parties or make Olaf shaped waffles, and that's okay! I'm getting real in this post.