If there is one thing I hear over and over again from families is "I really could have done more this year." Sometimes they say this to me before they send in their portfolio, after I complement them on all they have accomplished, or just when they see me out at the Greenhills library.
I have started responding, "Well you know, you could have done less." Usually that gets me a sort of head tilting confused look. I then say, "Really, you could have done less. You could have read less books to your kids, you could have completed fewer math pages, you could have participated in not as many field trips, or had fewer learning conversations." I tell families, you did have a lot of great learning experiences with your students this year, and you worked hard.
I often joke that I have to have very high self-esteem to look at so many portfolios each year. I am always fascinated at all families accomplish, and the progress their students make. I see families who take amazing educational trips to places I have never heard of, utilize community resources in unique ways, read great literature, integrate learning into their lives in so many fabulous ways, find apps and web sites that are incredible, and find resources I had no idea existed.
What I have learned through the years is that everyone is good at something, but probably not good at everything. You are good at something with your students. There is something that you can do that someone around you admires you for and wonders how you do it. Are there things you could improve on. . well of course. . we all could. We are all people on a homeschooling journey who are constantly trying to improve, and that is fabulous. No one wants to be stagnant. It is good to set realistic goals to improve your home education, but still rejoice in what you have accomplished.
I think it is important to remember what you are good at and what you bring to your homeschooling world. Celebrate your student's accomplishments, celebrate your accomplishments and maybe even ask your students what you do well. I am willing to bet their answers will surprise you.
And please remember as doubt creeps in. . You truly could have done less. So celebrate what you did do!
