Managing Expectations

Something you may have noticed coming up if you started a brain dump are your expectations.

Maybe you’ve thought something like this…

• If I could find the right curriculum, then this child would finally learn to read (or spell or write a 5 paragraph essay).
• If we could stick to the schedule, we wouldn’t feel so harried.
• If we lived in a house with a bigger yard (or more bathrooms or a garage) then we could focus on school.

The problem of course is that each of these issues might be true. You might need to try another curriculum or build a more sustainable schedule. Homeschooling is a dynamic art, not an exact science. Each year, sometimes a couple of times a year, you’ll need to make adjustments to your plans. That’s because your homeschool is made up of people, people who are learning, growing images of God.

Our expectations get in the way because they can keep us from moving at all. If we don’t have wheat we need, then we won’t be successful. But really, the choices you make about curriculum or scheduling aren’t magical. They don’t have the power to make sure your days are smooth and easy.

Homeschooling is iterative. You don’t make decisions once and never revisit them. You take small steps and then maybe 6 weeks later, see how things are going. You can make adjustments and then keep moving forward.

What expectations might be holding you back?

How can you begin to lower your expectations and keep going?