Confessions from the Middle of Our First Year of Homeschooling

Our state has very few requirements for homeschoolers. Seriously — very few. The major requirement is to have 180 instructional days.

I will admit — I have a problem sometimes with how to quantify “an instructional day.”

Confession #1: I think I get so caught up in what should count as an instructional day and what shouldn’t that I find myself separating out school from our day to day life.

Confession #2: I wish I didn’t do that. I want to work toward doing that less.

So what does that mean? That means, I suppose, that I’m not crazy about where I am headed sometimes with schooling. I feel like what I envisioned that I wanted our schooling to look like is not what it looks like right now.

Confession #3: Like many first year homeschoolers, I am struggling to figure out which programs, curricula, etc. work for us. I have changed some things a few times already.

Confession #4: Even though I don’t think some of the things are working out like I would like them to, I am continuing with them because I spent good money on them (and I don’t want to spend more money on something new already).

I am incredibly tempted to give the kids some time off and try to totally do some restructuring. But, because I don’t want to spend more money on materials right now, I also am very tempted to solider through, changing things as needed, and then re-figure things out once this school year is finished.

Confession #5: I know that once I change things, I will still end up having things that don’t work. This is probably my leading reason for wanting to just wait until the school year is over to make changes.

In all honesty, I’m not sure what changes I will make, but I know that I want to add in some more Charlotte Mason ideas, some art and music instruction, and more crafty and hands on things. The kids love it when we learn through hands on activities and playing games that they learn from. I need to work toward doing more of those things with them. I want them to think of learning (and schooling) as fun.

I also need to figure out what activities I want the kids to be involved in, and what I’m not as interested in.

Confession #6: Our new co-op has been postponed and is only just finally going to start up this week. I am teaching a class, and I am horribly unprepared as of this moment. I may regret that when I am in a class of 18 children ages 2.5 to 5. (One of my readers, who is also a writer at The Homeschool Classroom, is probably thrilled at this moment that none of her kids are going to be in said class.)

Okay, hang on. Time out.

This all sounds pretty sad, doesn’t it?

Only, the thing is, it’s not. It’s natural for things to change during homeschooling, especially in those first few years of figuring out how your family’s path is different from the path of the homeschooling family down the block.

Confession #7: All things said, and despite my desire for a little bit of quiet during the afternoon, I love having the kids at home. I can’t imagine sending them back to school to be gone for eight hours a day, five days a week.

Are you a homeschooler? Do you have a confession (or two or seven) to share? Feel free to leave it in the comments or on your blog and link to it in the comments. I sure would feel better to hear some of your confessions too!