Drowning out the What If's?



When homeschooling your children it's so easy to get caught up in all the what if questions that bring doubt and fear....
  • What if... my child falls behind?
  • What if... my child fails to learn something he or she will need later in life?
  • What if... my child had to return to public school & was found lacking in some way?
  • What if.. my child never learns to read ? (or write or spell or whatever skill they seem really resistant to learning)
  • What if... they want to return to school?
  • What if... my child won't be able to get into college ?
  • What if... my child doesn't make any friends
  • What if.. I fail my child with this whole homeschooling thing?
I think all homeschooling parents have their own versions of  What if questions but basically we're all afraid we might be making the wrong choices and messing up our children's futures.  I think even as a parent when I wasn't homeschooling I was always afraid I was making the wrong choices.

 It's human to worry, wonder, and question.

It's not always easy to block out those fears.

It's really not.

But I've been trying to turn them around and look at the other side...  
  • What if... my child is able to get ahead?
  • What if... my child LOVES learning because he/she is interested in what I'm teaching?
  • What if... my child can teach himself what he needs to know later in life?
  • What if... my child never had to return public school; would he ever know he was lacking in some way?
  • What if... my child ends up loving to read, write or spell because he was able to wait until he was ready? 
  • What if... my child loves what we're doing so much he never wants to return to school?
  • What if.. my child is able to get into college or What if.. my child doesn't WANT to go to college? 
  • What if... my child's best friend is one of his brothers or family members?  Is there anything wrong with that?
  • What if... homeschooling is the best parenting decision we've ever made? 
Turning those fears around has helped me tremendously.

It helps puts things back into perspective.

I can't predict the future.  I can't control what might happen a year or 10 years down the road.

I have to keep in mind the here and now.

I have to focus on all that they HAVE learned.

I focus on how much my boys love our life and our lifestyle.

I focus on the fact that they are growing and thriving and happy.

I try not to worry about the future too much, because, really, who does the future ever work out perfectly for anyway?  It's life.  Plan all you want but there are always unexpected twists and turns on the road and I think the best way to prepare my boys is to teach them to be flexible.

Teach them to be hard workers.

Teach them to never give up.

Teach them to keep on learning and loving life.


Comments

  1. Bethany McIlrathMarch 14, 2016 at 2:42 PM

    Not a homeschooling Mom, but glad to neighbor on LMMLinkup! This applies so broadly though- what if is as much about opportunity as it is concern!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beth @ Pages and MarginsMarch 19, 2016 at 12:47 PM

    I love this! I was homeschooled myself, and thought that would help me avoid some of the "what ifs" when homeschooling my own child. But I've realized that this sort of insecurity and "what if" attitude is much more of a heart issue than something based on experience or circumstance. I love this idea of taking the positive "what if" approach. Thanks so much for sharing and linking this up with the LMM Link-up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mother of 3March 19, 2016 at 1:47 PM

      True. I often tell people that if I wasn't worrying that I was doing a good job it would probably mean I didn't care. Worry just seems to come with the territory when you're a parent.

      Delete
  3. Moving MeditationJuly 20, 2018 at 5:23 PM

    I was a school teacher for over 30 years. "Teach them to be hard workers. Teach them to never give up. Teach them to keep on learning and loving life." These are all wonderful goals. Exactly what I always tried to do!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Amy BenhamJuly 22, 2018 at 8:22 AM

    I LOVE LOVE this perspective!! And you are right, we all have those "what if" questions and this is such a wonderful way to deal with them! I think it is also a great way to look at our parenting, not just our homeschooling!

    Thanks for linking up @LiveLifeWell

    Blessings,

    Amy

    ReplyDelete

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