How do we know we're doing the right thing?

As homeschoolers, our families often live on one income. It's easy to look around and see other families that might be able to provide expensive vacations, lessons, or all the "best" clothes and advantages. Comparing that to the simpler life we live can make us wonder if our children would be better off with the second income instead of homeschooling.

My first nursing job was at a university health service. Our facility provided not only urgent care services, but also limited in-patient services. It amazed me how much those young adults had to say in the middle of the night.

Without exception, every young person that talked to me said they wished their parents had spent more time with them. They lamented that their parents had spent their time working, to give them money and "stuff", but what the kids really wanted was time. You can't imagine how many times I heard, "I wish they had given me themselves instead of 'stuff' ".

Although you might wonder if you are giving your child what she needs when others are enjoying 'stuff', remember you are choosing to give of yourself to your child. That will last far longer, and have far more positive benefits than any 'things' you might have provided with a second income.

Invest in what lasts!

Do you ever feel alone?

Like you just don't fit in with the crowd?

When we hear comments that challenge or ridicule our home education efforts, we can feel especially different. It can make us question if this is really a good idea. Then we start comparing. That's our downfall.

Remember that comparing what we are doing with what someone else is doing, or what the school is doing is a fatal exercise. Invariably we are comparing the externally visible strengths of someone else to our own weaknesses. We can't help but come up short.

This played out for me in an experience some years ago. One day each week we met with another family and did "team teaching", their mom taught all the kids certain subjects and I taught all the kids other subjects. The first day was nearly a disaster.

She started with English, asking the children to name the 8 parts of speech. Her kids named them off easily, quickly. My kids looked confused and said, "What?"

Then came geography... Down to her 5 yr old could list off the major oceans and seas. My kids said, "Um, what?" (I was having cold sweats in the corner.)

The capper was when asked, down to their 5 yr old could name the Roman emperors, in order!

Feeling completely defeated, I was ready to crawl under a rock, send my kids to school where they'd actually learn something! I nearly packed up the kids and left, but my brain was so addled I just couldn't come up with a quick excuse to go.

Then it was my turn to teach Biology, a favorite subject for me. We went over the differences between bacteria and viruses. To my utter shock... the tables were turned. Down to my 3 yr old knew the differences and could explain them, up to her older teen didn't know for sure.

That gave me much to think about. Not to say one area of knowledge is more important than another, we all prioritize according to what we think is more important. But more that if I had actually managed an excuse and left, I would never have known that I was comparing her strengths to my own weaknesses (or just areas that we hadn't covered yet). If I had left, I would have stayed defeated.

As hard as it is, don't compare. Instead, enjoy being unique!