Homeschooling: Encouragement for Single Moms' & Dads'.

I believe I write on this, every year…..happily! Each changing grade becomes more familiar and less, at the same time. However, my enthusiasm grows along with my child.

He’s going into his final year of middle school. I’m so proud of my big boy. He works hard all year long, and nervously awaits the feedback of his homeschool portfolio. Like the year before, and the year before that, he always gets excellent feedback from the teacher that reviews it. She has been in our lives since my son was in pull-ups.

I am writing this post to encourage any single parent , that it is absolutely possible for you to home school one child, or a household full. I will admit one thing, and it is the most important requirement as a homeschool parent….well, two things; first, you have to really enjoy your children overall. I say that because, they get under our skin sometimes and are not always that enjoyable, but when it comes down to the root of your love for your children…..and choosing homeschool, it needs to be built on the enjoyment and love that you have, being their parents, and them being *your children, and you, wanting to have a healthy control over watching them thrive and grow, fail….learn from failure, and succeed, in the safety and love of their home. This does not mean you or them are perfect, it means you want them to always know that their first teacher in life, is at home. Even if you public school….home is where they learn how, “to be”. It is where they are truly molded and prepared for life. It should be. Home Schooling is not for the faint of heart, and it is not for the “perfect parent"

You will run into obstacles, have days where you don’t want to get out of bed……you and your children; get frustrated and need space from your students. The moments that really teach them, is while you are making meals…..and they want to help and learn how to make them as well, when you are dumping trash, and they want to jump in and dump the trash themselves, paying bills while they are writing reports, and they want to know how to pay bills and budget, reading your Bible and praying, and they want to have a Bible study with you, going to the store, and they want to help you shop and pick out healthy foods……and Doritos (lol) , helping those in need, going to a museum for a field trip, and they get home and show you their notepad full of ink art, and they were even more inspired by their field trip.

Homeschool is very hands on, and very family oriented…..whether you are a family of 2, 3, 4 or more. It requires a lot of forgiveness, a lot of room for mistakes and growth, a lot of…..do over days, a lot of mercy for yourselves as well…a lot of discipline, organization and planning at your own convictions (I don’t tell parents how to plan and organize), a lot of LOVE, a lot of laughing, mental health days, a lot of prayer, and one of my other favorites……..ASKING FOR HELP SOMETIMES. I do not do this without support on the outside. I am not one of those “show out for media” Moms, that claims my million degrees I’ve earned on my own, with 3 kids, with one baby breastfeeding while typing a dissertation and running five streams of income that all make 6 figures.

I am often tired and welcome and embrace the extra hands. Not only do I need it, but so does my Son. He is surrounded with a lot of people that love him, and that puts me at ease…which gives him peace.

Ask for help!

Do not be afraid to reach out for support. I love being there for other single homeschool parents when I can be. I know the feeling of skimming through pictures of home school families that have 2 parents that are constantly there……one working and bringing in the money, and the other (which is almost always the wife), having to only focus on home schooling and whatever she loves doing. The pictures are always so well-organized and put together, even when it is supposed to be a post that makes them look like every day people. It is unrelatable.

There is a sector of us that exist that do not have 12 inch thick binders of our school year charted out. I DO encourage having a plan and organization that fits your family dynamic, but one that is suitable for YOU and YOUR home, and one you are not afraid to change up during your year if you need to. I encourage this because it will save you the headache, especially with record keeping and having paper work just in case you live in a state with no home school laws, and your Children want to attend college, and or, you decide to public school again. It makes it easier to provide the necessary documents and proof that your children have an education that is accredited.

Take away from this post? Pray and ask God for direction with your every day and school year needs. Enjoy your children…….this goes by FAST! Ask for help when you need it, and accept it when it is offered. Even if you don’t think you need it…….you do. Trust me.

You’ve got this!

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Raven