Homeschooling Mommy Guilt

The weight that many of us carry wrapped tight around our heart is guilt, anxiety, and worry. I see the smiling faces that say ‘Everything is going just fine,’ in a sweet southern accent. Inside you are gray,scared, and anything but that smiling face. Deeply concerned that you have done a disservice to your child(ren) and husband that are relying on you to homeschool your child. We carry the weight of guilt.

Why would mothers be dragging around this load? There are times that you find out your child had a learning disability when they are years down the road of homeschooling. The whole time you thought they were being willfully rebellious. You feel you should have seen the problem. Reading through books and catalogs you begin to think you were a using the wrong curriculum. Worse a tiny whisper starts that you are a bad teacher, organizer of time, or just plain bad at this thing called homeschooling.

Deep breathe… do you know others think this way? Other moms are smiling on the outside and inside weeping because they feel trapped and yearn to find the very best for their family.

I think… no, I know that those fears and anxiety are all based out of the LOVE and the RESPONSIBILITY you feel to raise your children correctly. It’s out of love that you are here but you have accidentally gotten off on the wrong path. Guilt and worrying is not a healthy path. It’s time to turn around and head back to a strong foundation. One that will restore peace and stability to your lovely family!

First, acknowledge and truly understand that guilt, worrying, and anxiety are not what God has planned for us.

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

We are directly told to stop worrying. Troubles may come but we are safe in the hands of the Lord. We must take control of your thoughts and feelings and stop the heart-wrenching worry.

Now let’s look at our priorities. Have we placed testing and academics on such a high pedestal that it eclipses other priorities? We need to be clear that our priorities of life are set. Including what is the end result of your homeschooling? My family’s goal is to have adult children that are Godly, intelligent, and productive. That means our top priority is teaching God, academics, and a strong work ethic.

One way I fought the feelings of guilt when my child was not progressing like I thought she should was to seek outside help. I started by talking out my inner feelings of inadequacy with my loving husband. He could see the situation clearly and helped reassure me that I was letting no one down in the family. Then I asked veteran homeschoolers and began reading books from other homeschoolers about their journey homeschooling. I went to conventions to see what materials were out there that might assist us. The best part of this was I began to feel less alone in my feelings of guilt. The chains began to loosen and the joy of homeschooling began filling me again.

For many mom’s guilt is a default setting we revert to in times of stress and worry. Let me encourage you don’t stay in that place. Don’t let guilt steal your joy of homeschooling. Your family and homeschooling will be healthier and happier place. Guilt has no room in your home or mine anymore! You can remove those chains from around your heart and step forward in faith that the Lord will guide you through your homeschooling every step of the way.

Chris and Heather are a husband and wife team fired up to help and encourage family homeschooling and dealing with special needs. They are blessed with 5 children and 3 angels. The children and Heather have a genetic disease called mitochondrial disease that gives them medical and learning disability to work with. They are uniquely trained through life experience to help other special needs families! You can find Chris and Heather at Special Needs Homeschooling , or Laurie Family Ministries and their attached Facebook pages that are very active with questions and answers for many!