A Homeschooler's Life - The Comparing Game

One trap most homeschooling mommas fall into is the

  Comparing Game.  

What do I mean?

You meet a new homeschooling family.  Their 8 year old child can sing to you the state's capitals to the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy".  While YOUR 8 year old keeps thinking he lives in the country of New York.   

OR

You get together with a homeschooling family at their house for a play date.   While there,  the momma shows you her school room.   It is an actual room with color-coded boxes, files, pencils, even scissors.   She shows you her schedule all laid out and , of course, color-coded.   All you can think about is how you do your school on the couch using tray tables.  You are the farthest thing from being organized and feel like a winner if you can actually get the next day's work printed out  the night before. 

Been there, Momma?   Do these encounters make you feel as if you have no business even trying to homeschool?  Do not fall into this COMPARING GAME.  

Now NOTHING is wrong with being able to teach your 8 year old the state capitals to the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" or being SO organized that it is almost a work of art.

But what I have learned is this: Comparing myself and my kids to others only lead to unhappiness.  I have tried to push my kids to be "as good as" others, to end in tears on both ends.  That is NOT how homeschooling your loves should be. So   Every year, I try to be a more organized and better homeschooling momma. I realized that the more happier and content I am with my homeschool, the more my kids are.  I may never reach the goal of "color-coded bliss", but I will try.  My children may never be able to sing all the capitals of every state to the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy", but they will know them.  

Every child learns at different levels and to their best ability.   There is no way you can compare.  If you know your child is doing their best and you are doing the best YOU can.  You are winning at everything that is truly important.