Can you fail homeschooling

There was no longer a doubt in my mind. I was failing. After a day of crying, I began looking into private schools and boxed up my homeschool curriculum. I mentioned this in passing to another mom in our church. She floored me when she asked me a simple question,. It never registered to me that it could have been a fluke. I just assumed I was failing. Moms, if you have ever felt that fear of failure in your stomach.

No child will ever be great at everything. They are children. You may have one child who is great in Math, one who excels in reading, one who may struggle with academics, but excels in life.

Kids are kids. They are not geniuses, they are not perfect, they are not models that we are to put up on a pedestal so others can marvel at our homeschool ability.

What does this mean? That when our kids act like kids, when they score low, embarrass us in public, or come off like an unsocialized homeschooler … they are just being kids. It means they are human. Just like us. How many days have you went to bed and wondered if you could get up and start it over again? I have! One day I failed at homeschooling. I mean really stunk at it. Another year, I spent homeschooling out of negligence.

It means I can get up, day after day, and show my kids my imperfections. I can grow. The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education. Does anyone really want to raise smart individuals devoid of character? I think we already have plenty in this world. So yes! Character is important for our kids. We recognize what they need training in. Sometimes the things we see in our kids we wish they would change, though, are really the things we need to change about ourselves first or at least work together on.

Kids are really good at recognizing inconsistency. As teens this realization sometimes manifests itself in anger.

But consider the other side. How powerful is leading by example? By modeling instead of constantly molding? To ask God to reveal those things that He wants to grow in us, as well as our kids. This is not a time for us to compare ourselves to others or fall into a self loathing circle of thinking. To let the Word pierce through to the thoughts and intentions of our hearts see Hebrews To pray regularly and to find community—the kind where iron sharpens iron and encourages and builds us up, even when it takes saying the hard things.

May we have proper perspective of who we are in relation to who He is. Humility before God is a powerful parenting skill. In this Social Media driven world, comparison creeps in when least expected. The effects of allowing it to control our lives can be devastating. We find ourselves thinking. When we compare, we make others our standard. We forget to be thankful for where God has placed us and the things he has given us.

Discontent grows and we begin to make decisions based on what others are doing, being, and having. And his gifts are good. Want to read more about how to control social media comparison? But maybe it is actually a good question we should think about. Perhaps we should consider what the people who ask that question really mean. What about friends? About being around other people and learning to work with them?

What about learning how to deal with conflict and hurt? Yes these are valid questions, not just for our kids, but for us too. I am a homeschool graduate myself only four years prior, and I laughed until I cried reading this article. The stereotypes you talked about were spot on with my own experiences growing up. My extended family was always concerned that my brother and I would be socially awkward. My brother and I both played multiple sports, and were involved in extracurriculars like 4-H, JROTC, and a co-op group, as well as ample community service.

I even attended a public school prom in my Junior year. Somehow I managed to survive, and have my own sewing business as well as being a writing and English tutor. I am married to a wonderful man also a homeschool graduate , so there is proof for those who think homeschoolers will never find relationships.

My brother also turned out alright, as he is in his final year at university studying electrical engineering. Thank you so much for writing this humorous encouragement to homeschool teachers, students, and graduates alike. We may be the minority, and like all things we have our share of failures. But we also have many, many success stories that are impossible to deny. Heaven forbid that you be the one raising them and choosing what moral values and life lessons etc.

BTW, I was homeschooled throughout my entire schooling. I always had tons of friends. I never once worked in fast food. I did have several different jobs before becoming a stay at home mom and survived in the real world, got along with my coworkers, and got accolades from my employers.

I even found someone to date, for married, and have two beautiful children that I am now homeschooling. Well, so far just homeschooling one because the other is only 18 mos. PS I love your quirky sarcastic humour. This was actually really funny, because it is all so real. I am now antisocial. Also, the standard of education that I was recieving in school is ten times better. I understand that some parents are capable of homeschooling their children, but..

Take my advice, from an actual kid. Homeschooling is completely absurd and not the answer to a bright future. My mom Homeschools me and my siblings and she is an amazing mom and teacher!! Everything in this Blog is all wrong! I have been homeschooled since I was young and I have a lot of friends, I have sleepovers, I do sports, and am not a weird, stupid homeschooled teen. Idk what your problem is with homeschoolers but keep this stuff to yourself.

You should be ashamed of yourself!!!!!!!! Would you tell my mom she is an awful person because she homeschooled?!? Look at yourself! I appreciate your quick defense of your mom and homeschooled kids, Sarah.

However, the offense you took was completely unnecessary. I think you must have read only the title of the post and the bold-faced sentences. I am the homeschool mom to 3 children, including one graduate, and know first-hand that homeschooled kids are pretty awesome people. My mom has done an amazing job raising me.

Yes, I do. I have lots better things to do with my life — like raising 3 pretty amazing homeschooled kids and writing articles to support homeschooling parents and give them something to laugh about.

The article is so untrue! Thanks for your comment. Did you actually read the article? Have a great day! When my daughter was a toddler, we began to consider what we wanted to do about her schooling.

Our first choice was a private school. Homeschooling was not an option because I had to work. Then, I began to hear stories about how private school kids are just as bad or worse than public school kids so we shifted our focus.

We had many discussions and just decided to enroll her in public school. My daughter entered Pre-K at 4 years old at our local public elementary school. She excelled very quickly.

She is an only child. She learned to share, to interact with other children, and to play fair with other children. When she started first grade, she again excelled. Being an only child, she had friends at school and she truly liked getting out of the house and going to school and having her friends at school.

In Middle School she joined the band and played the Clarinet and was first chair in the band. In high school, she blossomed. She made color guard in the band and was very good at it all 4 years of high school. She had a steady boyfriend something I was not really happy about but since I married my high school sweetheart 31 years ago, what could I say? She was on the Honor Roll, in Mu Alpha Theta, made many friends, and took college prep courses, just a few of her many accomplishments. She enjoyed going to her Junior and Senior Proms with her boyfriend, and yes, we spent a lot of money on dresses, shoes, and photos.

But it is the memories of these moments that will also be precious to me—going with her to help her pick out her dress, watching her get her hair and makeup done, and being a part of the photo shoots. She got her class ring her junior year with her high school logo and graduation year on it. She had some pretty nasty teachers but she survived them and the experience has made her stronger.

She has learned from her teachers and us that she has to work hard to achieve her goals and she is independent, trustworthy, dependable, and responsible. She graduated from high school in May 32nd out of with Honors and a Diploma with Distinction.

Next month she will begin college to study early childhood education because she wants to be a teacher. Now for the bad new about the homeschooled kids that I know. My nephew had always been homeschooled. He is 2 years younger than my daughter. He began to rebel, started smoking, and so they put him in a private Christian school. When he went in, his education was not up to par, so he was put back a grade.

Now he is having trouble adjusting because he was used to being at home all the time with only his mom and siblings. I also have a friend who took her 2 daughters out of school to homeschool them and she just cannot handle homeschooling them and they are older! The comeback for number 9 is lame and very inaccurate. My only child who is homeschooled has more friends than my husband and I did and do put together.

Outside experiences with lots of different people do. And the above is especially a dangerous mentality for homeschoolers to have. At a community center a friend opened, a woman came with 3 kids. It was heart-wrenching! I found out later that it was because she never took her kids out.

So, no. Having siblings is not enough and it is not a good comeback if someone asks about socialization. Likewise, families with onlies can do just fine. The home environment is important, but you have to get out of that bubble regularly.

The same is pretty much true for kids to flourish outside of public school as well most public schools are terrible places for socialization. Well, for one thing, i am a homeschooled graduate living in the real world. Not ALL homeschool graduates turn out to be low-life bums at a low end job. And, while i was in homeschool, i actually found a date from the meetups located at the local areas that events were held in. He was nice to me and we hit it off as soon as we clicked eyes.

I was out and about with my boyfriend and actually exploring the world. And i was not taught by my mother nor my father, i was taught by online teachers who were rude and incompetent little brats that thought they were better than the students themselves.

So, in regards to this post, its totally inaccurate! Hi, Samantha. Did you read the post or just the boldfaced text? You might even find it funny. Thank you for your article. As a public school teacher of 15 years, I have always been curious about homeschooling—it has never been something I can easily wrap my brain around. I have not chosen to homeschool my children, but have had friends who have considered it and had a friend in college who had been homeschooled himself.

I have nothing against homeschooling and I truly believe that the way you choose to raise your child is your business. However, I could not read this article and not share one criticism:. It bothers me because I know you are being sarcastic, and your sarcasm is offensive to me. As a teacher, who has studied, practiced, graduated with multiple degrees and certifications from Ivy League schools, and to be blunt, worked my ass off in the field of education, I DO have more knowledge in the field of education than the average stay at home mom.

To insinuate that anyone can teach a 2nd grader is stating that all of my work and passion and experience means nothing. Just because you at one time were a student yourself, does not mean you know how to teach successfully. Homeschooling is a lovely idea and there are many parts to it that I can understand as beneficial, but honestly, to use the argument that anyone can do it is just plain offensive. Why are public school teachers so hated?

It simply makes me sad. I care deeply for my students and work hard every day to ensure they receive an education that is fun, stimulating, well-rounded and safe.