Homeschool Pep Rally - The 2020 Edition

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After a very busy few weeks and an extended long weekend, my blogging schedule is quite off! Most of us started school sometime in the past couple of weeks, and I hope it's going well for you, whatever your situation. Today is the first day of our homeschool tutorial co-op, so I thought it would be a good time to share something I wrote a few years ago as an encouragement for the beginning of the school year.

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I've got to admit that I wonder how much difference the cheerleaders actually make in the outcome of the game. I mean, obviously it must be valuable somehow or professional teams wouldn't continue to spend money on it, right? Nor would schools. And of course cheerleading is a competitive sport in its own right.

When it comes down to it, we all need and want somebody in our corner cheering us on, giving us a little boost of confidence when we're struggling, and celebrating with us when we succeed. Not just in sports, but in a lot of areas of our lives, including homeschooling. I may not know you personally or where you are in your homeschool adventure, but if you're a homeschool mom, I'd like to cheer you on a bit. 

You can do it!

Take heart, and keep your confidence, because you CAN do this! Oh yes, it's hard work, and it's a big commitment, but it's also immensely rewarding and even fun! At some point, we're all tempted to doubt ourselves and question our decision to homeschool or our ability to do it well. I think it's normal to ask yourself those questions and to worry at least a little about how to teach subjects you don't understand yourself, or if your kids will miss out on certain things because they're homeschooled. Just know that you can find a solution to whatever difficulty you'll face, and realize that saying "yes" to homeschooling will likely mean saying "no" to some other things. My bet is that you'll also see that the benefits continue to outweigh any difficulties or disappointments along the way. Don't doubt yourself! And don't let outsiders cause you to doubt yourself or your decision to homeschool or your authority to make that decision. Remember, you're the parent, and YOU have the right and responsibility to choose how your child will be educated.

Stick to the game plan!

When a team is behind on the scoreboard at halftime and a player or coach is interviewed, they almost always say something along this line: "We just need to stick to our game plan and play our style, and do our best." They know that even when things aren't going their way, they'd be smarter to stick to the plays and the style that they already know works for them than to panic and abandon a carefully thought out strategy. There's something to be learned for homeschoolers there as well. It's tempting to worry that you're not doing enough or doing the right thing when you start comparing your homeschool with someone else's. So try not to compare and cause yourself that anxiety. Of course you can learn from others and see ways to make adjustments, but don't throw out the study style that works for you just because your friend's kids are excelling with a completely different educational approach. 

This is where your planning pays off. You've taken the time to figure out the best curriculum, style, pacing, and routine for your family; so trust yourself and don't rush into a big change when you hit bumps along the way. Because there will be days that are just not good. Just like the public schools expect that they'll need to take a certain number of snow days, homeschoolers should recognize that there will be days when it's just better to close the books for awhile and take a break. That's okay. Take it one step at a time. Your realistic and flexible game plan will see you through distractions as long as you keep the goal in mind. 

You're the best!

You really are! Oh, I don't mean you're perfect or that you will never make a mistake, but you are the best person to take charge of your kids' education. You know them best, you care the most, and you're fully invested in helping them learn and succeed. You know their interests, their strengths and weaknesses, and the passions and challenges that make them tick. Plus, you're already a teacher - did you know that? You guided your child and helped them learn how to walk, to talk, to eat with a spoon, and so much more. And goodness, if you can potty train a child, you can certainly teach them to read!

You may not feel qualified to teach high school math or science, but there are lots of resources and options to help you in specific areas like that, and you are more than qualified to hunt up the resources that will work best for your homeschool.

You're the best because you're MOM. So make the family relationships the priority over an academic checklist or a spotless house. Remember to have fun with your kids and to make great memories. Take care of yourself and your own needs so that you've got the energy and the positive mindset that you need to look after your family.

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Dear Homeschool Mom, I hope you are encouraged for the task you've taken on! I wrote a series of daily coffee breaks for a blog hop week back in 2016, and all the other participating Crew members also shared their Homeschool 101 advice and encouragement. There is a lot of information and encouragement here on my blog, and over at the Homeschool Review Crew blog as well. I'd love to hear your comments, and if there's anything you'd like to ask me about homeschooling, I'd be happy to answer questions. Just drop a comment below or contact me through my Facebook page.

This post originally appeared as Homeschool 101 - Homeschool Pep Rally and was part of my 5 Days of Homeschool 101 series.

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