Where did you go to find support when you were new to homeschooling? Did you scour the Internet looking for like-minded people to glean from? Did you subscribe to homeschool blogs, homeschooling YouTubers, or homeschool-friendly Facebook groups? Maybe you hit the road and headed to a refreshing homeschool conference. Nowadays, when people are beginning their homeschooling journey, their options are limited to online only. Physical, actual homeschooling co-ops or groups are not happening and the reasons that so many people are now home educating is not because they chose to, but because they were forced to. Now I understand that not everyone that is at home is technically a homeschooler. They are still using their school’s curriculum. But, there are still some that are choosing to break away from the traditional methods of teaching during this crisis and are starting to consider homeschooling in the fall. Parents don’t want to put their child through the stress of the new rules and regulations that may be imposed in the upcoming school year so they are planning on schooling at home.
So here we are, those of us who have been homeschooling for years. We have gone through the fire, been tested and tried, and now we are being tested and tried in new ways since we no longer have as many extra curricular activities available to us. Though times are challenging and trying, let us not forget where we came from. Let us not forget those early days when we were still trying to figure things out. Those days when we tried to recreate the classroom in our home. Those days when we tried to mimic the public school schedule in our day—attempting an 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. strict schedule (and then feeling like real homeschoolers when we finally realized that it was possible to finish a day’s work by noon but still felt guilty about it). Don’t forget about the struggle you went through mentally or emotionally about not having a “real job.” Or, if you worked from home don’t forget about the challenge you faced trying to figure out how to balance it all.
It’s not that we have it all together now, but we certainly have come a long way and there are those who need someone to come alongside them and encourage them that they are not alone. The feelings they are experiencing are not anything that we haven’t wrestled with in the past and they certainly do not need to go through it alone.
With a lightheartedness and sense of humor, be readily available to help those who are new to homeschooling during these times. These new home educating parents want the best for their children just as you want the best for yours. Let’s be there for them!
