10 Common and Honest Confessions from Home Educating Parents

As home educating parents we don’t have to be saints — no one’s perfect and how we home educate doesn’t have to be perfect either. We often judge ourselves too much or feel guilty for not doing ‘enough’ when really we’re doing the best we can. With that being said, we thought it would be fun to list 10 common and honest confessions from home educating parents because let’s face it, we’ve all been there and we shouldn’t feel bad about it. 

1. “Sometimes we don’t get a lot done.”

True, there might be days where you get lots of stuff done and other days where you’re left wondering what you’ve even accomplished with your children besides getting ready and having breakfast. But it’s okay to have lazy days. Not every day has to be filled with things to do or tick off. Life isn’t meant to be scheduled, it’s just lived. And when it’s lived, learning happens. 

2. “I’ve thought about quitting home education.”

Most of us have probably had this thought at one point, and your feelings are completely justified. Instead of feeling guilty about it, we can accept that Home Education is hard because yes, it can be. There are always going to be good days and bad days. The most important thing to remember is that you’ve kept going and you can keep going. 

3. “It can be really difficult to motivate my children.”

True, it’s not always easy to motivate our children to do things. It can be draining, frustrating and often feel like we’re not getting anywhere with them. But when we think about it, as adults we have times when we don’t feel motivated to do anything. So, it’s completely fair for our children to feel the same. Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of a break, a rethink or redirection.

4. “I have days when I don’t know what to do.”

I think we’ve all had days when we don’t know what to do with ourselves. Even if plans are made, things change. We all have emotions. We all can feel overwhelmed or stuck. Sometimes our minds get the better of us and then we feel guilty. I should have done better for my children today. But if there are days when you don’t know what to do, try not to worry too much. Focus on, and enjoy, the days when you do know what to do.

5. “I stress about everything.”

Stress is a very easy emotion to provoke. All it takes is a bit of overthinking, overtiredness, something going wrong and voilà! — stress is upon us. We all do it. And when it’s our children’s education in our hands, we’re bound to do it more. 

6. “Sometimes we’ll sit indoors watching TV all day.”

Who’s guilty of doing this? Um, me. Do I feel bad about it? Yes and no. Sometimes it’s needed. Sometimes it’s not. But it can always be made up for. Just know it doesn’t make you a bad parent.

7. “I’m the one that struggles to socialise. Sometimes, I won’t go to groups because of it.”

Ever feel like you’re more introverted than your children? Yeah, I hear you. Sometimes the thought of going to groups or socialising with other people can be too much. Of course, we want to go for our children’s sake — and most of the time we do — but I’m sure a lot of us can confess to this. 

8. “I don’t know how to balance work and home education.”

Trust me, we’re all still trying to figure it out and it’s not always easy. Both work and home educating are a priority but trying to juggle them both can seem impossible at times. What’s reassuring is that Home Education can be as flexible as it needs to be. 

9. “We don’t stick to a routine. Ever.”

Hey, neither do we! There’s nothing wrong with going with the flow. Every day is different so why should the routine be the same? As long as it works for your family, that’s all that matters.

10. “I wish I could really say what I wanted to the people that judge me for home educating.”

Oh, we can all confess to this one. Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a judgmental comment made about why you’re home educating. And raise your hand if you’ve not known how to respond. My hand’s up. I mean, if we really said what we wanted to say it would feel great, but it’s probably best to keep certain thoughts inside our heads. We can take pride in our decision to home educate either way. 

Well, that’s our 10 common and honest confessions from home educating parents and there’s probably a lot more. But hey, join the club — we all have confessions about Home Education! Let us know some of yours!