Just catching up on the top ten mistakes in homeschooling today. Turns out I have made quite a few. Still, I’ve escaped the #10 mistake, fear of the internet. Haha.

I have my own list of homeschooling mistakes, of course. Here they are, in random order:

• telling a clerk that we homeschool when she asks why my kids are with me
• forgetting to deholiday ourselves before jumping back in to the routines
• pointing out a school as we drive by and saying “Aren’t you glad you aren’t there right now?”
• being too pedantic about every topic in order to appease nearby adults-”Yes, son. It is raining. That is only one of several forms of precipitation that occurs.”
• trying to cram learning in to bedtime stories/car rides/traditions in a totally artificial and irritating way. “The easter bunny is a symbol of fertility, honey. Named after the goddess Eostre, a pagan goddess. Okay, you can eat the chocolate now.”
• “strewing” the house with educational items a bit too heartily, to the point that we need to tidy up just to sit down to breakfast. Then getting irked when things are shoved aside and not even noticed.
• interrupting creative play or moments of sibling cooperation in order to push my agenda.
• not always remembering to listen with all of my attention to their dreams/stories/ideas.
• jumping in to help when they didn’t even need it-”Let me count that change for you, honey. Oops.”
• buying too much educational debris we’ll never use
• And the number one homeschoolingist mistake I ever made was: ignoring/neglecting my own interests in order to cultivate the children’s interests.

On the other hand, I’ve made some good strides in recent years. Learned to take full advantage of my educator’s discount. Took a deep breath and slowed down enough to hear the kids. Tried to keep my mouth closed when a learning moment is happening. Relaxed about their styles and paces and individuality to the point where most of all we really enjoy each other’s company. Realized homeschooling is not just about an educational alternative but about a lifestyle change which suits us all, even adults pursuing their own interests at their own pace. Stopped reading how-to articles without laughing.