I QUIT! And that's okay!

I came to a realization yesterday.

As much as I can rationalize the effectiveness and logic behind schooling during the summer, I hate it. This is our second year to do "summer school" or "year round schooling". And I have a lot reasons that look good on paper:

1) We will have an extremely busy fall. Schooling now will give me the flexibility in the fall to not worry so much about staying on schedule.

2) We live in the south. It is HOT here. We're going to be stuck inside anyway during part of the day. I might as well take advantage of the down time, right?

3) My son has asthma that acts up badly in the summer (thanks to the air quality in the afternoon). Coupled with reason #2, it just makes more sense.

4) It will give us more break time during the year (we usually take December off).

5) Hubby will be having surgery in September. Getting a head start now will help with stress later, right?

I'm sure I could come up with more reasons. But you know what? This is something I realized yesterday:

1) No matter how much of a "head start" we get in the summer, we will fall behind during the school year. We do every year. Even last year!

2) My intentions are always "enjoy the weather in the morning, school when it gets hot". But my kids and I all hate schooling in the afternoon. We'd rather be relaxing THEN. So, I end up schooling during the early hours, and then we are stuck inside doing nothing when it's super hot. Uhh.

3) When we take all of December off, we usually argue a lot. Nothing says Christmas like family stress and arguments, right???

And honestly. I need a break. I know my kids do, too. But, I just need a break from thinking about ways to pour information into my kids' heads. I want some down time. I want to be able to clean my house, work on a project, lay around and do nothing and feel FINE about that, etc.

I'm so sick and tired of trying to come up with a unit study, literature program, math lesson, etc. to have the kids do during "down time" so I don't feel guilty about a missed opportunity.

I've also realized that when I'm going "hyper homeschool mom" trying to always capitalize on every chance to teach the kids something...I'm just making them loathe the homeschool life.

Yes, every day is a day to learn.

But not every day needs to be **must make them learn**.

And some days can just be a regular ol' day.

And there isn't anything wrong with that!

So...I QUIT!

I'm putting the books away. I'm shutting up the class room (except for some cleaning/organizing I want to get done).

And...I'm going to enjoy the summer days with my kids doing absolutely nothing!

And maybe...just maybe when September rolls around this year, we will feel excited again. Because lately I feel like a flat tire.

Advice I wish I had (been) given

Have you ever seen this question, "What piece of advice would you give a new homeschooler?" I have been running into this a lot lately. I've tried coming up with sage words, somehow attempting to cram all of my years of experience into this piece of advice. I don't know if I was trying to be helpful, or impress myself and others with grandiose words. Either way, I realize now that all the advice I have given (even though it was good advice), wasn't the BEST advice I could pass down to a new homeschooler. This is the advice I wish someone had told me.

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE!

You’ve made the decision to homeschool. Wonderful! You are now part of a rich and diverse community. As you explore more of this new world, you are going to find ways to do many things.

From learning styles, curriculum choices, where your children do school, to how you dress, what you watch on TV, what you eat, and how you cook, there are A LOT of opinions about each of these. None of them are invalid, but take them ALL with a grain of salt! Don't feel pressured to conform to an "ideal" homeschool lifestyle.

When I first started homeschooling, I dotted all my I's and crossed all my T's. I quickly found a homeschool group, I bought my curriculum, and I set up our space. I was ready and EXCITED! 

I'm a person who needs A LOT of structure! So, naturally I purchased a shiny, new boxed set of curriculum. I was so proud of my choice! And it was working well for my family...until. Until I sat around a park bench, listening to fellow homeschooling moms chit chat during a "park day". That's when I heard it...

"Using a boxed curriculum and student desks isn't HOMEschooling. That's just bringing school to home!"

I'm going to be transparent here...Those words shattered so much of my confidence. I mean, I was listening to "veteran" homeschooling moms who seemed to have everything together. They must be right! So, my thoughts were: WHAT? I'm not doing it right?! My kids will just be drones? I'm killing any chance for them to gain a love of learning ?!?

I came home in a panic, and I threw myself into frenzied research mode. OUT went that <cringe> boxed set. Hands on learning, and books! More books to read, that's the ticket! I will give my kids a LOVE of literature. And desks? BAH. We'll use the floor, our couch, bean bags with lap tables...do you see where this is going?

I felt guilty (and wrong) for not fitting this picturesque homeschooling life. I believed the LIE that there was only ONE right way. And IT ALMOST RUINED US.

After that terrible experiment into a different approach to homeschooling (which my kids couldn't stand), I realized something. Boxed-sets/workbooks work for my family. It's what my kids LIKE, and it's what keeps me sane!

I'm not saying other approaches are wrong. What I'm saying is...no approach is wrong if it fits your family. Whether it is a boxed-set, Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, or an online academy...DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! And don't ever, ever feel like you have to look like everyone else to be a homeschooler! The freedom to choose what works best for our children is the reason why we’re here in the first place!