Homeschool Help: Gaining Your Confidence

WHY DO WE DOUBT?

Homeschooling is remarkable in so many ways-

The freedom, time spent together, the flexibility...

the doubt.

It's not a mistake, I added the word, doubt.

Yet another way homeschool is remarkable is in its uncanny ability to add doubt to every decision you make concerning the education and wellness of your child.

Am I equipped to teach them?

What should I be teaching them?

Am I doing them a disservice?

Will I set them back?

These questions are the short list of all the invasive thoughts that emerge when homeschooling.

Before beginning our homeschool journey, I was met with such doubt.

Doubt that would steal my joy and interfere with my confidence.

And what is important to note, is that in our fourth year of homeschool, doubt occasionally still tries to sneak in-

If I let it.

What I've learned along our years, is that there are ways to reduce that cloud of doubt, and bring about the sunny beams of confidence instead.

I hope now to share some practices I've picked up along our homeschool path that will boost your confidence, and help you reach your homeschool stride.

Remember Your Strengths.

So often, you can lose your own sense of strength by placing other's opinions or capabilities above your own. Spending too much time exploring what others are doing as their homeschool, or how they are homeschooling, can cast a shadow on your own abilities. While there are extremely gifted parent teachers out there, remember that your gifts are exactly what your child needs, and that makes your set of skills extremely valuable. Your methods of home education are entirely up to you. They are as unique as your children, and don't have to look like others in order to be successful. Blaze your own trail!

Whether you can plan and execute a flawless lesson, or craft up unique learning experiences, or give quality support on a worksheet, you have been given strengths that impact your home and children, so use them confidently!

Regain Your Focus.

Being that homeschooling is centered in and around the home and those in it, life is happening all around your learning spaces. While in the midst of the everyday planning and on-goings, doubt has the optimal window to pop in. Staying preoccupied can cause your priorities to get fuzzy. Don't lose sight of the bigger picture, because doing so will make you feel you aren't doing enough, or that you aren't doing things well. Regaining your focus on what is greatest- family wellness, progress, and spiritual growth- and how these things are thriving because of your homeschooling, will press your confidence reset button.

Rediscover Your Role.

The most valuable way to build your confidence, is to rediscover your role. Your role in your family and in your children's education is priceless. You are their parent, making you best designed to teach them. You have been providing them with all they have ever needed since the day they were born, and they feel secure in that, so you should too. No one else will seek out and desire more for them than you will. Find confidence in knowing that because of the role you have been blessed with, they have their greatest advocate, resource, and defender. With you leading the way, they've got all the guidance and support they need to fuel their education.

Regulate It.

At its worst, embrace that there will come times that may shake your confidence, but don't sit in it too long. Homeschooling isn't only teaching your children, it teaches you a great deal about yourself, your priorities, and your determination. When doubt does strike, try to remember that as ugly as it may feel, it can bring about affirmation. You are in charge of what you tell yourself and what you listen to, so be selective. End conversations and close posts that don't bring about encouragement. Invite like-minded and constructive people into your circle, that you can turn to for reassurance. Trust in their supportive words, and believe it when given compliments. Lean into those words when doubt begins to loom.

Last, as a loving reminder, just because you feel doubt now and again, doesn't mean you aren't doing well, it more than likely means just the opposite.

You CAN do this, I believe in you!