Secure, not Stressed

I met another family that has returned their children to public school today. I felt sad. It is hard to keep up with all the mothers I have met over the years that have homeschooled at one time or another. This mom tried it with her oldest for three years. When the next child became ready for public school, she begged to go to school with her friends. The mother, exasperated with her structured school-at-home program, threw up her hands and decided to send everyone to school that year.

I wanted to express my encouragement to try a different way of home educating. I wanted to argue all the great points of home education and how well things have gone for us. But, she has already passed that point and is sure she is unable to homeschool "properly" as she put it. I nodded my head and just listened.

Twelve years ago I remember a very similar conversation with a mother of eight who homeschooled all of her children. I was the one giving all the reasons why I couldn't homeschool. I brought up all the reasons I could think of, even going so far as to say my children were nothing special and did not need any special attention. I remember this wise mother nodding her head and listening. She did not offer an harsh words nor did she begin giving all her reasons why SHE homeschools. She just offered a listening ear.

A few years after this conversation I had with the experienced mother of eight, I found myself remembering that she had responded with nothing but kindness and understanding. She left me pondering my own excuses and reasons rather than feeling judged.

I hope that I can always emulate the same.

A book that helped me with the 8th Key of Great Teaching - Secure, not Stressed -  is "The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook" by Raymond and Dorothy Moore. The concepts are all compatible with A Thomas Jefferson Education (TJED).