“Great! Jane just posted more awesome pics of her kids having fun while homeschooling on Instagram! But I’m struggling with everything!”
If I were to ask you what one of the biggest homeschool problems was, what would you say? I think for a lot of us, it would be comparing ourselves to other homeschooling parents.
Comparison is the thief of joy and sadly it’s something every homeschooling parent does- even if they don’t want to admit it. Today I’m going to help you to be confident in your own homeschooling journey and minimize the negative comparisons you make with other people.
We’re going to take a look at four common areas that homeschooling parents compare themselves with other people and how to stop these homeschool problems. Are you ready?
Homeschool Problems: Comparison
Homeschool Comparison Case 1: Fun Activities
No homeschooling parent sets out to be a boring teacher. When you decided to homeschool, you dreamed of all the fun and exciting ways you could help your kids learn. As a matter of fact, you were probably feeling okay with the way you homeschooled until you went on social media and saw all the fun other people were having.
As you scroll down you can feel your soul being crushed. You start to wish that your homeschool was like Jane’s homeschool. Filled with fun and laughter and innovative ways to teach kids. This my friend is case 1 : comparing your ‘boring homeschool’ to the ‘fun homeschool’ you see online.
So how do we stop ourselves from feeling inferior to Jane? Simple, don’t let it crush you. See if you can use some of those ideas for your own kids. But make sure it fits your situation and the learning outcomes you have for your kids. If it doesn’t, be confident that your kids are still learning.
Let’s say that you love the fact that Jane has book parties and takes field trips every week. What you should do now is schedule a day or two per month to do these fun things. Longing to go for a nature walk and have a picnic there? Now you can- just pick a date on the calendar, pencil it in and do it.
Homeschool Comparison Case 2: Awesome Educational Resources That Everyone Else Has
There will always be something new and shiny in the homeschooling world. It could be the trend of all-wooden materials for math, coding with the help of an iPad, or an interactive globe that teaches your kids about the world. Whatever it may be, it’s something that you don’t currently have.
How do you solve the jealousy pangs and comparison? I have three options for you.
- You could always buy the item- but be careful: do you actually nee it. All that glitters isn’t gold.
- See if it can be found at a second hand store or in a buy/sell group
- Ask yourself: Does what I have right now fulfill the learning outcomes I have for my kids? If so, you don’t need it.
Case 3: Homeschool Room Envy
I will start off by saying that I had a serious problem with this when we first started homeschooling. Our home is pretty small (900 sq ft) which means that a stand alone homeschool room was out of the question. I loved looking at all the different homeschooling rooms other people had and how they were decorated. It took me a while to realize that the thing I loved was how organized and neat everything was.
If this sounds like you, is it possible that you simply love the way all the homeschooling items are organized? The fact that everything has its own home? If that is the case, then simply search for storage solutions that fit best with your home.
Now if not having a homeschool room that looks like Jane’s is truly the homeschool problem that you face then try a few of these:
- If you don’t have a homeschool room, ask yourself whether or not your kids are actually learning. Learning is more important than decorations.
- If you have a separate homeschool room, use some of Jane’s ideas that work for your situation.
- hop on to Pinterest and type “no homeschool room” for inspiration if you do not have a dedicated room
Homeschool Problems Case 4: What Jane’s Kids Are Learning
We all know not to compare our kids to others and yet we do it silently. Our friends post about all the books their kids have read for the year and we then wonder why on earth our precious darlings are still struggling to put sounds together.
We notice that other homeschooled kids are speaking 5 different languages but our kids are still trying to master English. I get it, I really do. Once I bought an app for my daughter when she was 3 ONLY because I had a friend who’s daughter was using that app. I bought it so I could feel as if my daughter was also learning and mastering those skills.
What’s a homeschooling mom to do? You know the answer to this one- remind yourself that every child is different. Kids learn at different rates and have different learning styles and interests. When you find yourself comparing your kids to Jane’s, simply remind yourself of how awesome your kids are at something else. As a matter of fact, brag on your kids. Let them know that they are really good at drawing and that they will master Math eventually.
As I said before, one of the biggest homeschool problems is comparison. It not only robs you of your homeschooling joy and can make you feel inadequate as well. Follow the solutions above to help safeguard your homeschool from the comparison trap.
