DO give yourself grace
Whether it's your first year or tenth year, first day or 180th day - you will need to give yourself (and your kids) grace. Not everything will get done everyday. People will get sick, you'll end up spending thirty minutes looking at a turtle on your nature walk, you will read four chapters instead of one because the read-aloud is so good. Allow yourself the space and time to make changes and to adjust
DON'T be married to your lesson plans
I get it, I am a planner. I LOVE schedules, lists, and plans. Charts make my heart fill with joy! Show me a graph and I'll cheer! It took me YEARS into our homeschool journey to allow myself to deviate from my plans. It's okay to adjust. It's okay to take a day to do an outdoor field trip because it's 65 and sunny in February. It's okay to say "I am sorry, we're behind on bookwork we're going to have to postpone our playdate" It's okay to change your plans.
DO choose to be thankful
Maybe your kids are home for school this year because you didn't like their schools options for in person or online learning. Maybe you've always wanted to homeschool and this strange year gave you the push to try. Maybe you've homeschooled 15 years and you're still loving it. No matter why you're in this season - remember to be thankful for it! God has given you these sweet, long days to savor with your children little and at home. Especially those in Indiana, we have such a strong pro-homeschool state government and that makes homeschooling here a true right and privileged.
DON'T listen/react to others opinions on your homeschool
Friends. People are going to have opinions and most likely you're going to hear them. They may be thinly veield as "concerns" but they'll be there. People will wonder if you're qualified to teach your children. They will worry that your children will be unsocialized or weird. People will comment that it cannot be what's best for you. People will tell that you are lucky to be able to stay home and do nothing. (I've heard these all from friend and foe over the years) Just don't listen. Try not to react. Know that you've made a decision that you think is best for your children.
DO what you think is best
Maybe it's your first time teaching ever. Maybe you feel like you really need a box curriculum with a clear lesson plan for every day. GREAT! Maybe you feel like your children should run wild, barefoot in the woods and to do math with wild deer. AWESOME! Maybe you want your kids to spend five hours a day on the computer working on coding skills. PERFECT! Whatever you think is best probably is! You know your kids - create a school environment that is perfect for them.
DON'T compare
Don't compare your homeschool space to others. Don't compare your teaching style to others. Don't compare your kids to other kids. Just enjoy right where you are right now. My friend Lana often says, "Comparison is the thief of joy" (T. Roosevelt) and it's 100% true. Comparing what you're doing and how you're doing it with others can do two dangerous things; it can make you feel inferior or superior to others. Your way isn't better or worse - it's just yours.
In short - enjoy every precious moment with the people you have when you have them!
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