Homeschooling My Kids Ruined My Life

I have thought all along that because this is how I grew up, that this is what my family did, that being
a second generation homeschooler would make me happy. It makes sense; it's part of my identity,
my ethos. I am one of twenty-one grandchildren on my mother's side, and all of us were homeschooled.

This is what we do.

We ordered all the books and went through all the motions this year. Counting, rhyming, memorizing,
sounding out words -- starting over -- crying, laughing, reading good stories and drinking warm tea.

We explored the world around us more than the books on our shelves; making notes and coloring in the
details of the magic found in nature, free play and being little. We collected all the treasures to
keep in our pockets, mason jars and hearts.

Instead of the routine I had envisioned, it was raw and unpredictable. I had goals for me and
my children; milestones and achievements I wanted to hang on the wall. Not for accolades of course,
but just for me to know, "Hey, we did that" --

some came easy, some came hard, and some didn't come at all.

There were days I tried to stuff our school into this box of expectations and elaborations;
doing all the things that I thought we must be doing to be a real school --

beating myself up at the dinner table, "He didn't get it. We had to start over. I'm doing something wrong." I'd throw my hands in the air, go to sleep and wake up to start all over again. Is this it?
Is this what I am going to spend the next 25+ years of my life doing? Schooling children in my bathrobe
and messy bun with a barely warm cup of coffee in hand?!!!!

And believe it or not, somewhere in the middle of all that, I think I found myself?

Somewhere between singing math facts for peanut butter cups and snuggling on the couch
to devour Magic Tree House books -- somewhere between wiping finger paints off the walls
and scraping play doh out of my carpet --

I realized that homeschooling my kids had ruined my life in the best way.

It had changed me and made me a better person and mama. Nudging me, sometimes ruffling my feathers,
straight out of my comfort zone and into this new place where I am being transformed...

learning to "let it go" and just plain have more grace on myself and my children --
being ok to forget perfection and just do what's perfect "for us".

It has made me little and curious again. With a thirst to explore, go outside, get messy.
I want to BE IN IT with them -- the world brand new all over again!!!

I didn't see it coming. The gift to be had in the ebb and flow of teaching and learning
with my children. What a gift.

Snow Day

Yesterday we experienced the biggest snowstorm of the season; which was mild for our region according
to record, but still a lot of beautiful snow! We all hunkered down and stayed cozy with pancakes,
school work and a family movie night. That new The Good Dinosaur totally made me cry! Oh, Pixar.

But I don't think anything will ever get me like UP. I ugly cried.

We've been moving forward with our Charlotte Mason style Kindergarten, and I think we are all at
peace with that. Believe it or not, I think I've had the hardest time adjusting to homeschooling. But
not for the reasons you are probably thinking. It's just been difficult for me to remember to "go at their
pace" - keeping in mind that we are not mocking the school system, but creating a learning environment
that we all can thrive in. Look for the educational MOMENTS, not the educational norm.

Good pep, talk, Brit.

I almost bought a ticket for this conference.

But they sold out so quickly and airline prices shot up. So Nathan consoled me with, "I'll go on a
trip with you!" I'm married to a good man, y'all. We are currently looking at some pretty cool Airbnb
tree houses...

Nathan is like, "So I'm going to pay money to sleep in a tree and pee outside?"
I'll let you guess who is the nerd in our family and who is the freakin' adventure rockstar.
There's a 50/50 chance here. I'll put money on your deduction skills.

I can't wait to catch up on The Bachelor this week. Don't roll your eyes at me. I'm betting he
goes with JoJo, even though Lauren B is his soul mate. Oh well. We will see her on next season's
The Bachelorette. You heard it here first.

This blogger is my new fave. She kills it with the re-caps.

Everyone in my house is coughing at the moment. This winter has beat us up. I'm so over it.
Can we all just be healthy at the same time?! In the sunshine?! On the beach?! No? Just pass the tissues.

I'm looking forward to this weekend! I'm teaching a Basic Oils class and it's going to be G-REAT. I could
talk about essential oils until the cows come home. But I don't do that in class. It scares people.
Seriously though, it's been so fun and different for me to teach adults who don't raise their hands
every 5 seconds to ask questions like, "Mom, is there a squirrel in the front yard?"

My life.

My Favorite Part of Homeschooling

When we first started homeschooling, I was telling my husband every other day that we should
start looking at potential schools for our children because I just couldn't do it. "I AM FAILING."
No one listens to me. Everyone laughs hysterically when I make letter sounds. They just want to do math
all day, every day. We can't even pray without someone needing to pee. He's touching me. I'm hungry.
Baby's crying. Don't move. "Ok, we're done with school for today."

...as I gather whatever morale I have left and go nurse Bella in a secluded room with the noisemaker
on HIGH. Take it from here, Wild Kratts?! That'll be acceptable on a transcript, right?
Elementary school of Netflix. Check.

So one morning, about two weeks in to this whole fiasco of bright ideas about homeschool Kindergarten
lessons plans and legit schedules, I had an epiphany. Possibly a conversion. Maybe both?!
An epiphersion.

We don't teach our kids at home only to imitate everything they do in the system. We homeschool
to give ourselves and our children the FREEDOM to learn, explore, create and be at their own pace,
in the environment we think is best for them at this time. Amongst other things of course.

I decided to quit saying "NO" to my children's cues
and let them lead and teach me (teaching them) instead.

You want to do math all day? Fine.
You want to cut straight lines until we run out of paper? Great.
You want to play outside? I'm coming too.

Obviously this is all within reason and their general safety. The other day Judah told me he had
an "idea" and asked for all the pillows in the house and a tube of caulk. Apparently he had a vision
of a "giant pillow" he could use on the trampoline (this is what I'm dealing with!), but it had to be
massively reimagined and funded by the parent-teacher association of me.

And now it's my favorite part of homeschooling.
Learning with my children rather than teaching at them.
Getting on their level and seeing the world again through the eyes of a child.
Feeling the excitement and wonder and joy of listening and understanding -
of being free to be wild and whimsy.

We felt called, and knew it would be a good idea to homeschool our children this year, but I didn't
see that it was going to be such a gift for me too. I need this as much as they do. Together we are
learning and re-learning the beauty of the world around us -- and all the lessons God has tucked
away for us to turn over, explore, dissect, collect and LOVE. It is good to be little.

Second Generation Homeschooling

Where did my babies go?! I am seriously in shock every time the UPS man comes by and drops off another book order. Get out of here! We always planned on homeschooling our kids. But if 5 years of parenting has taught me anything, it has taught me that things don't always go according to plan, every kid is different, and always always ALWAYS have a stash of chocolate. Not for the kids. For yourself.

I am thankful that we are able to homeschool this year--
and look forward to whatever adventures are to come!

Isaiah and Judah are twins born 15 months apart. They don't cope well without each other and it would seriously crush them to be separated. Thus, the brothers are doing kindergarten! The little nerds.


I was homeschooled 3rd-12th grade, and my husband was homeschooled for a couple of years as well. I've had so many people look at me and tell me, "Well, since you were homeschooled this will be easy for you." False. I was homeschooled, but I wasn't the educator-- ordering books, putting together lesson plans, making sure all the subjects were checked off the list. I'm just as intimated as the next rookie! Someone get me a sensei.

I shared over on Instagram a moment I had with my aunt. She's a homeschool veteran with eight kids of her own. These words are my mantra this year:

"I was going on about 'all the things' I want to commit to for the school year-- and she just kindly smiled and shook her head. 'I'm going to tell you what I wish someone would have told me when I was at your point,' she said. 'This is the only time in your life where all of your kids are happy to be doing the same thing in the same place. Your attention to them isn't much divided yet.' Sometimes I focus on how hard it is that everyone is very dependent on me right now and forget how easy it is at the same time! Per my aunt's advice, you will probably find us all snuggled in and reading books on the couch this school year... because she's right! All the extras are coming. But for now, we are all really good with just being little. I'm sure I'll look back and think, 'Man, I'm glad she stopped me in my tracks.'"

Isn't that good? I feel like those words affirmed me so well as a homeschooling momma. I am so looking forward to living and learning with my kids this year.

Here's a glance at what our Charlotte Mason inspired Catholic Kindergarten will look like this year:


This book. I want to grab a cup of tea and curl up in the pages. It is so restful and freeing to be using Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home. Elizabeth Foss gets me. It's less about the details and more about the journey.



A Beka K5 Math

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons- I watched my siblings learn to read from this program! It is so easy to teach and is perfect for 3 1/2 - 5 year olds. HIGHLY recommend. A "no cry" approach to learning how to read. And that's what we need around here. Less tears!

Twenty-Six Letters to Heaven: A Catholic Preschool Curriculum


This one is so sweet and perfect for us. Twenty-Six Letters to Heaven: A Catholic Preschool Curriculumoffers a gentle outline for pre-k. Scripture, saints, poetry, excellent book lists, and ideas for math, science, and art based around the letters of the alphabet. Less "book work" and more "real life application".


My kids also love Catholic Children's Treasure Box Set 1-20!!!! These are colorful, easy to follow, and perfect for my little learners. Saints, guardian angels, poems, activities, and more!!! I love how the stories and characters continue throughout the series. These are what we read when snuggling on the couch together. They are special.

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There's no line between home and school in my brain. Learning happens in pajamas around half eaten bowls of cereal- it happens while folding laundry or jumping on the trampoline- it happens while working in the garden and making dinner. Some days will be more organized and "put together", but most will be busy and alive as we seize the moments to learn from our books, from the situations we find ourselves in, from the world around us, and from each other.

I'll report back every now and then as this school year develops and let you know how things are going! Or not going!? I'm sure we will have lots to share on what we love and not-so-much. Until then, if anyone wants to be this guinea pig's Jedi master step right up!!!

Because these pictures and ideas are nice and all, but real life is like...