Parenting is hard…. there, I said it. Homeschooling is hard…. yes, I said that too. All of these are hard jobs folks. They are marathons not sprints. It takes years for you to see the outcomes of whatever it is you are doing right now in this moment. Years of tiny little moments adding up and filling this little person you are raising. No pressure.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement for more information.
The Pressure to be Perfect
Except, there is pressure. There is pressure to do this right. There is pressure to be the perfect parent. There is pressure to be the perfect homeschooler. The pressure to be perfect oozes into ever corner of our lives. With social media at everyone’s fingertips the pressure to be perfect is even stronger. Society has a certain set of perfect standards that most try to live up to. We must always have it together. The perfect family. The perfect wife. The perfect parent. But how many of us actually live up to these impractical standards? There is pressure to be perfect…even though there is no such thing! Crazy, right?
The Pressure to be Perfect
We as families, as parents, as homeschoolers, as unschoolers, as classical educators, and everything in between are all doing the best we can for our children. Every family dynamic is different. Every child is different and learns in different ways. Some families want more structure, some want less. Some children want direction, some don’t. Some children have learning challenges. Some children are prodigies.
None of us are perfect. So, we must stop comparing ourselves to others. We all struggle. We all fall down. We all need a helping hand. We all need understanding. We all need compassion. We all need forgiveness.
The Pressure to be Perfect
I am not perfect. My family is not perfect. My house is messy. I drink too much coffee. I’ve burned a dinner or two or ten. I lose my temper, and feel the weight on my shoulders of parenting and homeschooling two intense human beings. I struggle with depression and self doubt. Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much?
I am not perfect. I am loving, thoughtful, and strong. I adore my loving and supportive husband. I feel blessed to be a parent and to homeschool our children. I love being apart of the “AH HA!” moments that come out of nowhere with them. For example, when they read words I didn’t expect them to read or know facts I didn’t expect them to know. I love giving my children the freedom to explore and learn. I realize that, while it is not best for everyone, homeschool is best for our family right now. I know that while there is breath in my body I will be there for my children and my family.
So, here I am…. being perfectly imperfect.
Leave a Reply