As I had said in the past two posts, moms need many tools to have a full functioning homeschool. However, there are four essential tools that are unseen. Today, I will share with you about the need for a Guilt Remover.
Do you suffer from guilt? Many moms do at some point or another. What causes that guilt? How can we remove it? I know. We need a Guilt Remover, like a laundry stain remover.
Us moms are good about sharing products, which we are impressed with and find helpful. One baseball season, a mom told me about White Bright. This laundry detergent actually removes stains from baseball pants!
My son loves baseball and really gets into the game. I mean really gets into it. When he dives to catch the ball, he slides across the bright green grass. My son also loves to steal bases, and in the process his white baseball pants become even more filthy. For those who are unfamiliar with baseball fields, the dirt is not just dirt. It is like Georgia clay…orange/brown that is. Do you have a mental image of what his baseball pants look like?
After each game, I soak his baseball pants overnight in White Bright. The next day, I turn on the washer to finish the laundry process. Afterwards, the baseball pants are white again. When my boy walks on the field for the next game, he looks good.
Us moms can easily allow the dirt and grime to stain our lives. There are days when people will say things that make us feel less than desirable. The things said, or implied, might be about our how we manage our home, what we look like, the type of meals we prepare, our choice to homeschool, how we homeschool, and the list continues. Sometimes that list seems as if is as long as a cashier-receipt tape rolled out on the floor.
Imagine this scenario:
You are so excited. You are going to spend an evening with other homeschool moms from the co-op you just joined. You walk into the room wearing your new white dress and you look good.
The first person you meet is Mary. She is the perfect homeschool mom. Mary creates her own curriculum, takes her children on multiple field trips each month, teaches one of the co-op classes, is a board member for the county homeschool support group, and the list continues.
Mary tells you about her children’s latest lapbook creations and how wonderful they are. You agree lapbooking is great for your hands-on child. You ask Mary which company she prefers to purchase her lapbooks. Mary says, “I don’t buy lapbooks. I create all of ours from the patterns I have made and….” She then asks, “Don’t you create your own lapbooks?” You tell her you prefer to use the ones with pretty pictures, projects, maps, and so forth. Mary’s response is, “Mine are more meaningful than any lapbook you can buy online.”
There is guilt number one. Guess what? There is a small stain on your white dress.
You see Louise across the room. You are hoping she will not see you. Oh no, here she comes. Why is she here? She does not homeschool. Then you remember she is the host’s sister.
Louise shows excitement to finally be able to talk with you. Her first question is, “Do you really homeschool? You know children can’t make friends or play sports sitting at home. They can’t possibly go to a college without having a real diploma.” The longer Louise talks, the more guilty you feel.
Oops, there is another stain on your white dress.
You see Cindy across the room. She comes over to you and excitedly tells you about the new curriculum she is using. She asks, “What are you using?” You tell her about the books you have chosen and how well they are working for your children. Cindy asks, “Are they textbooks? You say, “Yes, they are.” Cindy’s response is, “Oh.” Then she walks away.
There is guilt number three. You notice there is another stain on your white dress.
By the end of the evening, you are feeling discouraged and the stains on your dress have spread all over. You return home and tell your husband about your evening. He holds you and asks, “Why do you let people make you feel this way?”
There is guilt number four. Your beautiful white dress now looks like Georgia clay. You sure could use a Guilt Remover.
When a mom begins homeschooling for the first time, she has grand plans. She has heard and read how children have excelled by being home educated, and she is looking forward to the fruits of her labor. It is not long until reality hits. She discovers homeschooling is not always perfect. She does not feel validated by all the homeschool moms out there, because she has chosen to homeschool differently than them. The new homeschool mom begins to think she is a failure and feels guilty for numerous reasons.
If you are one of those homeschool moms who are experiencing guilt, remember why you decided to homeschool in the first place. Then continue homeschooling in a way that is best for your children. No one knows them like you do.
It also helps to talk with someone who will listen with a non-judgmental spirit and provide you with a Guilt Remover.
Leave a Reply