If the Walls Could Talk: The Truth about Our Homeschool

If the walls in my home could talk, they would tell you the truth about a typical day in our homeschool!
If the walls in my home could talk, they would tell you the truth about a typical day in our homeschool!

If the walls could talk, they would tell you that I don’t spend my days sitting with my little ones around me on a cloud of rainbows.

I don’t great my young students in a bright ray of sunshine as they arise from their slumbers.

I don’t have a magic switch to turn myself into a delightful, cheerful homeschool mom, ready to tackle the day’s list.

No, if the walls could talk, you would know the truth.

I’m a yelling mama.

A typical homeschooling day includes tears of frustration. Maybe mine. Maybe from the preschooler. Maybe from the older kids. Maybe all of us.

And a typical homeschooling day will probably have some yelling. 

I feel it is important to tell the truth today. Yes, I have a blog about homeschooling. I write about the great learning games I make and others that we’ve discovered. I write about all the fun activities we do to make learning fun and get outside of the worksheet box. I take bright pictures of the toys and activity boxes I use with my toddler.

But behind all the bright pictures, there is an impatient woman. On the other side of the camera is a mom who is tired of trying to get a moment of non-clutter for the camera. Behind the blog’s publish button, there is a woman who desperately hopes I can be a positive influence for struggling homeschoolers, all the while why wondering if I truly can do it myself.

I considered doing a “Day in the Life of…” post for you like many others do this time of year on their blogs. But I’m afraid I needed to clear up this little secret first: I am still figuring it out myself. And if the walls could talk, they would tell you this truth.

I have so many great ideas for homeschooling. I love learning along with my children. In the good moments, I love it. I love watching my son’s mind light up with understanding when a difficult concept “clicks.” I love the basic learning playtime  I’m creating with almost-three-year-old Strawberry. These two kids, for the most part, love learning. They love being home with me, and I love to have them near. Those moments when we enjoy comradeship and learning: those are great times.

And then, there are the typical days.

If the walls could talk, they would tell you ….

  • that Mom has to give herself time-outs just as frequently as the kids get them.
  • that even on the best days, Mom’s voice will probably be raised to yelling at some point.
  • that on the days when other schedules must be met, things will most definitely go wrong (at least according to the plan).
  • that on random days, schoolwork becomes unexpectedly difficult (even when the day before the concept had been mastered).
  • that no day is the same as any other.

Finally, if the walls could talk, they would tell you that I try to do better each day. They’d tell you that I’m not always better the next day, but that I’m trying.

Being a homeschool mom is not for the faint of heart. But it is also not for the perfect, crafty, creative, smart, know-it-all, do-it-all mom. I am none of those things. In fact, I am a yelling mama. I am impatient. I am tired.

And it’s a good thing I get seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, and 18 years (approximately) to try to figure this homeschooling and parenting thing out. Line upon line, it will all come together. In the end, I hope I will be able to recognize that I did my best in homeschooling my kids.

Just don’t ask the walls how today went.

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  • Thanks for this post! I am on my first year of homeschooling and still figuring things out. I think with media people tend to only share the good and when we share both aspects, the positive and the not so positive things, it helps others not feel as bad. It is hard to not to try to compare myself to others, as it seems everyone else has their houses in order, and are the perfect, mom, homemaker and teacher, unlike me. At least you are trying like me to be a little better each day, even if it doesn’t always happen as we desire. Keep up trying!

    • CParkins, I feel the same way as I reread my own blog. I felt it was time to come clean. I have a lot of things to improve in parenting and homeschooling! Thanks for your kind comment and best of luck to you!
      Rebecca

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