Pace Yourself

A relatively new homeschooler told me recently that she wanted to pick my brain (slim pickings, that!) because she is still figuring things out. She said it in a sort-of-embarrassed way, as if she really should have it figured out by now. I'm happy to answer her questions and help her in any way I can, but this is what I thought was important to tell her, too:

After almost six years of homeschooling, here is what I know: homeschoolers are always figuring things out! Just when I've figured out tenth grade, it's time to figure out what we're going to do in eleventh grade. And even if I've figured out tenth grade for one child, I still have to figure out tenth grade for the other, very different child in a couple of years. Once you accept this inevitability, you won't be nearly as stressed out. So pace yourself! Don't think you have to have it all figured out now. Because you can't. And you'll wear yourself out trying. You're not going to "figure it out" and then move on to "never having to figure anything out" -- this side of Heaven, anyway.

And what I didn't tell her is that this is true for parenting (and life!) in general, not just in education. We'll never have it all figured out. Just when we figure out how to deal with one situation, here comes another one that throws us for a loop.

Wow, I'm such an encourager, aren't I? :-) Seriously, though, I think that recognizing this does take some pressure off. It has for me. When I remember it.

A shorter way of saying it is the way my mother has always said it:

Life is a series of adjustments.

It used to drive me crazy when she said that, but I know the wisdom of it now. And it really thrills me whenever I get to say it to the PalmKids. :-)

UPDATE: Less than 15 minutes after I finished this post, a very heavy box from Veritas Press arrived at my door --- full of plenty to figure out for the next school year!