Underestimating Myself

Homeschooling wasn't anything I ever inspired to do. Years ago I would have said it was crazy talk; but as I embraced parenting I also embraced an alternative lifestyle of attachment parenting, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, people calling you crazy and the like. As a part of that life I began to familiarize myself with many things, including homeschooling. As with most things, as I understood and educated myself on the issue it began to make a lot of sense. Well, a lot of sense for other people. I became a supporter of homeschooling, but I still understood that this was not my path.

Of course fast forward a few years and I am now a reluctant homeschooling Mom. Yes, after 2 years I still consider myself reluctant. Sure I like to buy all the curriculum, school supplies and hang out with the kids but overall I would describe myself as a struggling teacher. I do it because I know that for my son, a classroom environment is a non-learning environment.

Today I had a small epiphany. I have been organizing our office and schoolroom and I came across some schoolwork from the previous school year (2008-2009). All of a sudden it dawned on me that I have been homeschooling for 2 years. I successfully schooled my son through the 1st and 2nd grade! Wow, that suddenly just seemed so huge to me. I did that. I did all the work, research, buying, selling, planning, teaching,arguing, listening, day in and day out everything! It's amazing how much clearer things look when you aren't treading water and trying to take a peak.