What You’d Do Differently
At the Real Learning board, a mom with young children asked what older homeschooling moms would do differently if they could it over again.
Really, I have few categorical regrets about what I did or did not do. Yes, I made plenty of mistakes — but mistakes can be fruitful. I learned something from every mistake. Yes, I sinned plenty of times, and sincerely hope to do better in the future, but that is not something that I would “do differently” in that sense. Those are waters under the bridge.
The only thing I sometimes regret is that I did not educate myself more before my kids were born and when they were little. I wish I’d read more of what I planned to have them read. Even now, every iota of liberal arts education I possess is of great value. My father paid a pretty penny for my college education, but it was worth it, even though I never got a job in my English literature major. It really was, Dad. I only wish I’d treasured it more at the time. So was every second of reading I’ve done just prior to, or alongside of, or just after, my kids. My mother read to me and bought me classic books, and I’m glad every single day that I can remember reading Treasure Island and Robin Hood and Anne of Green Gables and Heidi when I was still little.
This all pays off every single time I talk to my kids or read to them or think about their education.
What would you have done differently, if anything?
November 25th, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Homeschooling-wise? If i had known early on even a fraction of what I do know, I would have ditched the boxed curriculumn we started with. Hands down. I tell people that all the time.
November 25th, 2007 @ 10:08 am
Great question…but I think I learned from my mistakes. And mistakes are inevitable. If I went back to change one, I’d only make others. But I think I would have started out less schoolish, too.
November 25th, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
I have been lucky to meet folks like you and Andrea early on in my homeschooling journey. I think we are on a good track because of that.
I see what you mean about wanting to have read more. I haven’t read many of the “classics” but I’m finding the greatest gift of homeschooling to be all the things I am learning now. Would I have picked up Heidi otherwise? I think not.
November 26th, 2007 @ 9:25 am
I think I would have liked to have gotten therapy for my kids learning disabilities earlier than I did. I think I harbor a certain resentment towards the unschoolers I let myself be influenced by who said not to worry. It turned out I should have worried. I should have followed my own gut instincts more readily, but I had such a lack of confidence.
The other ‘regret’ is ongoing, but it also has a joyful side; I am always struggling to balance the discipline that study takes with the joy of discovery. Sometimes I’m too focused on the discipline and other times we are in dire need of a little of it! So that often I feel out of sync.
But in spite of this, I am so thankful that we homeschool and feel truly blessed by it.
And Willa, you are so well read! I enjoy studying the classics alongside my children. I know that if I didn’t homeschool, I would never have read so many great books. And I’m a reader! I am about to start a study of Paradise Lost by Milton. I’m terrified of him!!!!!!!! Yikes, what a daunting work. (We are only reading the first book anyway, but that’s still scary!).
November 28th, 2007 @ 11:31 am
That’s a tough question — one I’ll have to ponder for a while.
:-)