Homeschooling brings joy and hope to the hearts of many moms. 
It also grips those same hearts with fear and insecurity.
What is it about homeschooling that creates such a contradiction of emotions?
Every family homeschools for a different combination of reasons. These can include academic concerns, special needs, issues of faith and religious instruction, character matters, safety concerns, learning styles of their children, special interests, and family lifestyle. Every family's homeschooling approach is also unique. Some choose classical education, some choose the Charlotte Mason method, some identify with less structured education - unschooling, and many combine different approaches based on their interests, the interests of their children, and the learning and teaching styles involved.
Does all of that already give you a headache?
Take heart, my friend... I don't think any homeschooling mom, even the most veteran homeschooler, can't look back to the beginning and remember a time when they, too, were overwhelmed by the concept. Homeschooling gives us choices, and choices - while welcome - can be a little paralyzing. If your head is swimming in terminology like curriculum, unit studies, lapbooks, programming, narration, and manipulatives, be encouraged because you have successfully started the first step to the homeschooling process... the research. It may not seem like much, but homeschooling is the sum total of many little steps. So, instead of looking at the staircase in front of us, let's move right to the next step, digging a little deeper. To do this, you need to understand a few things that are inherent to homeschooling.
One... learning is natural.
Two... teaching is natural.
Three... love is powerful.
Four... family is critical.
Let's look a little closer:
Learning is natural. For children, learning is as inherent and natural as breathing. Watch a three-year-old go for a walk sometime. Each piece of grass, bug or rock is an interesting find to be picked up, manipulated and inspected. Listen to the endless 'whys' of a four-year-old. Notice the toaster that the six-year-old took apart because he had to see 'how it works, Mom.' In many ways, a homeschooling mom (or dad) is really a guide. You are taking the natural curiosity of your children and giving it structure and cohesion. This isn't the fight that it seems. It isn't typically a struggle to get kids to love learning. They want to. By approaching it that way from the beginning, you will find yourself in a situation where learning is mostly fun and cooperative.
Teaching is natural. You teach your children everyday, even if you don't realize it. Everytime you read them a story, show them how to dry dishes, or help them play a new game, you are teaching them. We are all teachers to some extent. Have you ever had a job in which you had to train someone to do something? You were teaching. Have you ever showed a member of your family how to use a computer? You were teaching. Think of teaching and learning as complementary activities of the brain. The brain seeks knowledge. When it processes knowledge, it is prepared to take that knowledge and call it forward. That "calling it forward" is what happens when you teach.
Love is powerful. It is said that there is no greater human love than a parent for a child. That love is the motivator that will propel you forward while you are being challenged and that love will be a great sustainer when things are going well. No one knows your child like you do. If you spend time learning your child, you will be able to coax greater levels of learning out of them than you can imagine. Remember when they were babies? If you were going to leave them with a relative or sitter, you had to leave specific instructions because you knew just how to calm them, just how they ate, just what routine made bedtime easier. The same applies now that they have graduated to school-age. You know how well they are understanding a concept by the look on their face. You also know when you need to backtrack a little and review. By using the love that you already have for your children, you create an invaluable asset for homeschooling.
Family is critical. Nothing will form your children more than their family. No school, sports team, or group of friends will have more of an influence (for better or for worse) on your sons and daughters than your family. By providing them with a solid, safe and honoring family environment, you not only create a positive learning situation, but you also model a happy and healthy family life. Homeschooling can be a terrific tool to further those goals. Homeschooling brings the center of life back to a family level. You will live everyday with your kids. They will see you interact with other adults, handle household matters, and make choices. Education will be shared as a family affair. You and your spouse can work together to teach your kids, and your kids benefit from seeing your cooperation in action. Rather than silos living in the same home, you become a solid family unit with joint goals.
Do you feel a little stronger in your ability to homeschool? I hope so. If this article sounds a little bit like a pep talk, that's because it is. I want you to focus on the beauty of the journey that lies ahead instead of weighing yourself down with its potential pitfalls. Our society has a tendency to focus on problems and shortfalls; I want you to have the freedom to focus on possibility and hope. What is your next step? Do some more research on learning styles and curriculum options and check out some homeschooling forums and blogs to get the 411 on what other moms think about their decision to homeschool. And... good luck!
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