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Are you fulfilled by homeschooling?


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I was having this discussion with dh yesterday. We were at his office so he could take some pictures and show me the project he's been working on. I was really proud of him, (he and his partners have built this company from the ground up), and I could tell he was really proud of himself and his staff.

 

The weird thing is, I also felt jealous! Jealous that there is a whole aspect of his life that I don't know a lot about, but also jealous that he is fulfilled by what he does each day.

 

Do any of you feel fulfilled by homeschooling? I don't, and I know it is because I don't value what I do. It doesn't help that I don't get any outside validation, (other than from dh), for what I do. I know that shouldn't matter, and I know I should feel proud of what I do for my family each day, but how do I get there? How do I make myself value myself? Does that make sense to anyone?

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I do feel fulfilled by homeschooling, but I understand your feelings. I told dh a few months ago that this is the first job I've had where I actually feel like it's what I should be doing. So, if you're not feeling that way, I can understand the jealousy you have toward your husband's fulfillment through work. Other than waiting for your kids to be grown and restarting your career, can you find fulfillment in another area? Can you volunteer for something? Take up a fulfilling and rewarding hobby?

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I have my ups and downs. It is work that is not for the faint of heart, it is exhausting and messy and there isn't much good praise involved in what we do. The future of our children is priceless though and we are making a lasting impact. Anything negative we feel are usually just lies whispered to us that we need to ignore!

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No, I don't feel fulfilled by homeschooling, but hsing isn't done for me but for the kids. I am happy, proud, and satisfied that I am doing my best for each of my kids. I also don't think my identity is based on homeschooling.

 

:iagree: Having kids really knocks the selfishness out of you that's for sure!!!

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Most days I am fulfilled by homeschooling. But I have complained that there are no performance reviews, no raises, no compliments for getting something done well or on time. This is definitely a marathon.

 

I value what we do in the sense that if I failed, that would be haunting. Sometimes I think I set myself up for those feelings, though. If we do well with something, I can always see how we could have done better. So I can't win. I really have to grit my teeth and tell myself positive things, I guess, rather than being my own worst critic.

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No, I don't feel fulfilled by homeschooling, but hsing isn't done for me but for the kids. I am happy, proud, and satisfied that I am doing my best for each of my kids. I also don't think my identity is based on homeschooling.

 

:iagree:

 

When my kids were younger, I didn't feel the need for something "more" than homeschooling/parenting. However, I WAS doing something more already by researching and eventually teaching parenting.

 

When my life changed, and I had to look for work outside the home, I thrived. This was likely a function of several things:

 

 

  • Out from a miserable marriage

  • A transition in the ages/developmental realities of my kids

  • New possibilities

 

 

I would still welcome the chance to totally direct my children's learning (I would not exclusively homeschool teens). But I think my family was better served by me becoming more than mother-based roles.

 

Today (literally) I am applying for exciting jobs, one even includes travel. I am thrilled to be in this position.

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I don't feel so much fulfilled by homeschooling as I do challenged by it. That said, I do feel fulfilled in my larger role of parenting my child. Schooling is only one facet of the whole package.

 

I think part of the difficulty is that if done well, the homeschool parent is largely invisible. Our work is manifested in someone else's accomplishments. We are guides and facilitators, not end users. There are no awards for best spelling teacher, only spelling bee winners. And yet, those accomplishments would likely not happen if not for our efforts. We work at a job that is difficult to quantify, and therefore difficult to identify success. (Most of us have experienced days when we felt our teaching was unremarkable but the student had a "light go on", and conversely, when we felt we were on fire with our teaching but our student didn't seem to retain any of what was taught.)

 

Prior to having a child I worked at several exciting, fulfilling jobs that were the kind of thing where when I said what I did, people around me fell silent and listened. Now when I say what I do, they usually glaze over with boredom. It took me a while to get used to that change and to become solid in the belief that I do not define myself by others' view of me.

 

I have occasionally stated to the few who bothered to ask, that my job as a parent, homeschooler, and homemaker is the most complex, challenging, and worthwhile thing I have ever done. It beats dolphin/manatee biologist, massage therapist to world class athletes, hot air balloon pilot, etc. all to pieces!:D

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Yes, I am. I have moments that I really wish I had a career outside the home, but I cannot imagine giving HSing up for any realistic job in my sphere. HSing is more fulfilling.

 

 

That said, I do look forward to the day when I can look at my HSing days as complete.:001_smile: (and happily find a career outside the home)

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No, sadly I don't. :sad:

 

I used to get a lot more enjoyment out of it, but as the kids have gotten older and more and more of our friends have fallen to the wayside, I have lost a lot of steam. Not just fullfilment, but a sense of accomplishment or pride or even satisfaction in what I do. It has become a long, hard slog, and I can only hope the end has been worth the sacrifice.

 

This exactly. Logically, in my head, I know that what I do is valuable and important. I need to learn to FEEL it. I need to change my thinking somehow. I have never had an outside career. The only thing I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother, and that was enough in the past. I think that now I am so overloaded with life that I don't feel like I am accomplishing anything very well. I am too hard on myself. I want to get back to where I was before. When at the end of the day I felt peaceful and proud of myself.

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I feel fulfilled by homeschooling. But it's not necessarily because I love homeschooling for its own sake; rather, it's because teaching and guiding is what I love.

 

Homeschooling isn't really the end-all and be-all for me. I know that when my children are grown, I will continue to educate and nurture in some capacity. Homeschooling is how I use those skills now, and I am already preparing for the change in focus when my children are older by looking for volunteer opportunities and continuing to develop skills that will be useful. :)

 

Cat

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I do feel fulfilled by homeschooling. It seems to me that many people assume that when I say that, I must mean that homeschooling consumes my life, and I have no other interests/activities. Not so.

 

I find homeschooling to be incredibly meaningful. It is also the best job fit for me - I love teaching and education in general, but I hate routine and being bound to someone else's schedule/expectations. Once my kids are grown, I will probably build up a tutoring business or become certified to teach in nontraditional arenas.

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I am, but homeschooling is not ALL I do.

 

I have a happy marriage, and close friends. I help my oldest with her business, and have goals and hobbies.

 

I do get outside validation. Friends and acquaintances tell me how great my kids are, and what an outstanding I have done.

 

As many of you know, my oldest is "different". She has Autism and learning disabilities. And yet, I can name at least 3 families who looked into homeschooling because they were so inspired by her.

 

I'm not meaning to brag, but quite often, we meet someone very briefly when we sell them a goat, and months later, they call me with parenting problems or ask about homeschooling options.

 

It happens enough that Ds said we should change the company's tagline to "We'll sell you a goat, then tell you how to raise your kids"

 

So yes. I do find it fulfilling. It actually makes me happier than any other job could.

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I enjoy homeschooling. Frankly if my joy in life were only homeschooling, I would indeed go down the drain though. It is back-breaking, difficult work. So I keep on out of conviction and self-satisfaction and don't expect the "atta-boys." It is just that type of task. No one appreciates it until it ends or goes away, at least most of the time.

 

I agree that paid work is different that way. I've always worked and homeschooled, and the feedback is more overt. The "thank-yous" are frequent, and the paycheck does indeed validate what I've done.

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I don't know if I would say I'm fulfilled by homeschooling but I enjoy it and get satisfaction from it. The research, the planning, the actual teaching, the blogging about it - they give me a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. I don't know if I would want that to be the only thing in my life though.

 

I did spend 20 years doing paid work. Some of it was very fulfilling, some of it was nothing but tedious. I definitely don't feel "the grass is greener" syndrome when it comes to employed work.

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Proud, yes. Fulfilled? No. I need more than that.

 

I was having this discussion with dh yesterday. We were at his office so he could take some pictures and show me the project he's been working on. I was really proud of him, (he and his partners have built this company from the ground up), and I could tell he was really proud of himself and his staff.

 

The weird thing is, I also felt jealous! Jealous that there is a whole aspect of his life that I don't know a lot about, but also jealous that he is fulfilled by what he does each day.

 

Do any of you feel fulfilled by homeschooling? I don't, and I know it is because I don't value what I do. It doesn't help that I don't get any outside validation, (other than from dh), for what I do. I know that shouldn't matter, and I know I should feel proud of what I do for my family each day, but how do I get there? How do I make myself value myself? Does that make sense to anyone?

Edited by LibraryLover
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Yes, it does fulfill me, because I think it will matter in five years. I spent so many working years doing things that wouldn't matter the next day in my reality (or in anyone's reality actually). I see fruition from the time I spend involved in it. I don't question its value.

 

However, it's a pretty lone fulfillment. Ds is not a fan of schooling, he's finally quit saying he hates school, let's just say he tolerates it. I can't talk to dh about it because he's tired. He cares, he just doesn't care about the details.

 

I enjoy learning, I'm enjoying school much more this time around. I like spending time with my son. But in four years this ride is over for me. I don't plan on going into teaching, my tolerance level for children extends to my one and a few others. I don't plan on writing homeschool curricula, and I'm not sure I'll be hanging out on this board (although I might).

 

So even while I'm fulfilled, I'm still looking for other interests, jobs, and hobbies that will ultimately matter. I'll be in my late 40s when that happens, and if I have to go back to mundane jobs that don't matter, I might want to gouge my eyes out.

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I do feel fulfilled by homeschooling, but I've also never had a job that I found fulfilling because my epilepsy and other health issues severely limits what I'm able to do. Also, when I was in college (and didn't know I'd end up pregnant my final year, lol) I dreamed of becoming a librarian or a literature teacher, so in a way, I'm fulfilling my dreams. :001_smile:

 

I also know so many people that have really horrible jobs, and so the fact that I get to wake up every morning loving what I'm doing helps.

 

(And yes, dd is only three and a half, I know, lol. But I already love teaching her.)

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No, sadly I don't. :sad:

I used to get a lot more enjoyment out of it, but as the kids have gotten older and more and more of our friends have fallen to the wayside, I have lost a lot of steam. Not just fullfilment, but a sense of accomplishment or pride or even satisfaction in what I do. It has become a long, hard slog, and I can only hope the end has been worth the sacrifice.

This is me to a t.

ETA: The alternatives are not appealing, so I see this as the only choice we have. I'd rather homeschool them than anything else. No regrets, just wish that it weren't so challenging at times.

Edited by Negin in Grenada
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I feel more fulfilled by homeschooling than any other job I have ever had.

 

I worked for a bank in the past, in the "rich people" department. It was interesting in a lot of ways, and I miss aspects of my old job. But, pushing paper around day after day to make sure some guy could buy a helicopter....was a pretty empty existence. Homeschooling feels like I am actually doing something important, full of great meaning.

 

When I am not having a bad day, sometimes I step back and am amazed that I am allowed to do this. How many people ever get to do I job that they believe in so much? We all want to "make a difference" and I am doing just that.

 

Do I always enjoy it? No. Does it feel fulfilling and worthwhile? Yes.

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I enjoy homeschooling. Frankly if my joy in life were only homeschooling, I would indeed go down the drain though. It is back-breaking, difficult work. So I keep on out of conviction and self-satisfaction and don't expect the "atta-boys." It is just that type of task. No one appreciates it until it ends or goes away, at least most of the time.

 

I agree that paid work is different that way. I've always worked and homeschooled, and the feedback is more overt. The "thank-yous" are frequent, and the paycheck does indeed validate what I've done.

 

I agree with this. I love homeschooling in theory:D. It is the rubber hitting the road that makes me feel like a loser....I mean, didn't we go over this yesterday, and the day before, and every day for the past 6 months and you still can't remember who Julius Caesar was or the answer to 8x7??????

Those days are NOT fulfilling, especially when it is 6pm, dd is still in pj's, papers are strewn all over the house, you have to cook dinner, and schoolwork is somehow NOT finished......so, what the heck did we do all day???

 

 

 

Fulfillment comes when those same kids actually graduate college, get awards, have fulfilling careers of their own, are sweet, loving, caring, intelligent, educated adults who still love you and like to spend time with you. When your 25 year old dd begs you to have a sleepover instead of cringing when you call or having a panic attack when you are scheduled to visit.

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I do, but it's waaay early in the process for me.

 

Part of this is feeling like it's my vocation.

 

Part of this is the fact that it is not all I do. I do a LOT more than hs'ing. Reading, exercising, gardening, etc. I can't really depend on homeschooling to 'fulfill' me--I have to find this through a matrix of activities that are meaningful to me.

 

I used to practice law. It was a completely unfulfilling, thankless job with a huge paycheck and many perks. It was cool to do legal research and writing (that's what I loved) but on the whole, it was an incredibly stressful, work-myself-to-the-bone, exhausting job. Mothering is 24-7 and can be very exhausting, but it is so much better than my 'former' life.

 

When my children are grown and out of the house, I doubt I'll do any full-time work again and definitely will not enter the private practice of law again. I'd like to help immigrant families find their footing and/or work with foster children in some manner.

 

I believe I am doing what I was born to do, and in that way, I find it extremely satisfying--yes, even fulfilling. But it's not *all* I do. I love having varied interests, even if I only get snippets of time to do them every so often while my littles are young!

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I found mothering small children to be the most fulfilling thing I've ever done in my life. It's what I was born to do. Then, when we began homeschooling, I was completely passionate about that as well for years.

 

Now, I don't have little ones that "need" me anymore much of the "fun" of homeschooling is being squeezed out by longer and longer school days. Reality has also set in as far as what goals I will be able to attain with one of my children. Honestly, I have really come to understand why so many people bail and send their kids to high school. I'm still not planning on doing that, but I can really understand why people make that choice as we approach those years ourselves.

 

But, I think this post may also be a wake up call for me to refresh my outlook and make some changes.

 

Lisa

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I don't know if I would say I'm fulfilled by homeschooling but I enjoy it and get satisfaction from it. The research, the planning, the actual teaching, the blogging about it - they give me a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. I don't know if I would want that to be the only thing in my life though.

 

I did spend 20 years doing paid work. Some of it was very fulfilling, some of it was nothing but tedious. I definitely don't feel "the grass is greener" syndrome when it comes to employed work.

 

:iagree: Exactly, though I don't blog about it.

 

I think I would say that I feel a bit more fulfilled with the high school work that ds is doing now than in the younger grades, though I did enjoy that and love to see those lightbulbs go on. I looked up the definition of "Fulfilled" and it said "happy or satisfied because of fully developing one's abilities or character". I've been happy and satisfied to some degree all through the homeschooling journey but the challenge of high school is what is really developing my abilities.

 

But then I'm also happy and satisfied and challenged in other areas too. (Except for housework. I don't think the challenge of never getting it done counts as fulfilling. . . )

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IDK. I find motherhood quite fulfilling and, for me, homeschooling is just an extension of parenting at this point. It's all we've ever done and it's all my kids have ever known. Parenting is not my ONLY pursuit, however; I think I would become quite overwhelmed if I did not have outside interests, friends, goals, etc. Being a mother is not the only thing that I do but it is the best, most worthy thing that I will ever be, I think. I can't imagine any role more important.

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Yes, I am. I have my career, but when I'd reached a point where I knew I wasn't going "up" any further (I'd have to move into management, YUCK, and they wouldn't want an iconoclast like me), I have shifted the excitement in my life to hs. I consider it a huge, limitless, you-get-out-what-you-put-in, no-lose mental challenge.

 

I **am** lucky in that there are at least 10 people at work who always ask me what we are studying, or what we did this weekend. These are alert moms whose babies are grown, and they get a vicarious thrill. All of them did a brief stint of hs or afterschooled.

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I do find teaching my kids very fulfilling, but I also have a (supposed) career, or at the very least, a job. My youngest in particular, who I know would not thrive in a school setting, I find joy and fulfillment in teaching. I might now like teaching as much as I do if I felt trapped or had no independent life of my own.

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Yes and no. Homeschooling is a part of my life and I find my life as a whole fulfilling. I don't hang my fulfillment on the coat peg of homeschooling alone, though. On my list of priorities, homeschooling ranks very, very highly, but it isn't the only thing. I am a homeschooler, but I'm so much more than that. I'm not just a mom, not just a wife, not just a homeschooler, not just a Witch, not just a friend, not just an employee, not just a farmer, etc. etc. I think it helps to keep that in mind when one of those facets of my life isn't going well. In other words, don't let one facet of yourself define you completely.

 

I think that it is important to invest yourself in a variety of things, but keep your priorities in line, and invest most in those things that matter most. Homeschooling, like so many things in life, gives back what you put into it. If you're not investing in it, the returns seem negligible.

 

That said, we all go through periods where homeschooling is not fulfilling in its part. There are rough patches in everything, and you just have to find ways to get through them, or change them.

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I found mothering small children to be the most fulfilling thing I've ever done in my life. It's what I was born to do. Then, when we began homeschooling, I was completely passionate about that as well for years.

 

Now, I don't have little ones that "need" me anymore much of the "fun" of homeschooling is being squeezed out by longer and longer school days. Reality has also set in as far as what goals I will be able to attain with one of my children. Honestly, I have really come to understand why so many people bail and send their kids to high school. I'm still not planning on doing that, but I can really understand why people make that choice as we approach those years ourselves.

 

But, I think this post may also be a wake up call for me to refresh my outlook and make some changes.

 

Lisa

 

I really relate to this. I felt very fulfilled when my children were small. Now they don't NEED me in the same way. I feel that my job is very important but I don't have the same zeal for homeschooling that I did years ago. I don't wait by the mailbox for homeschool catalogs to come in the spring. I don't love the planning anymore. I don't anticipate sending any of my children to school because I see so many benefits in continuing to homeschool. I just wish I had some of the passion I used to have.

 

God Bless,

Elise in NC

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No, sadly I don't. :sad:

 

I used to get a lot more enjoyment out of it, but as the kids have gotten older and more and more of our friends have fallen to the wayside, I have lost a lot of steam. Not just fullfilment, but a sense of accomplishment or pride or even satisfaction in what I do. It has become a long, hard slog, and I can only hope the end has been worth the sacrifice.

 

This is me to a t.

ETA: The alternatives are not appealing, so I see this as the only choice we have. I'd rather homeschool them than anything else. No regrets, just wish that it weren't so challenging at times.

 

I agree with this. I love homeschooling in theory:D. It is the rubber hitting the road that makes me feel like a loser....I mean, didn't we go over this yesterday, and the day before, and every day for the past 6 months and you still can't remember who Julius Caesar was or the answer to 8x7??????

Those days are NOT fulfilling, especially when it is 6pm, dd is still in pj's, papers are strewn all over the house, you have to cook dinner, and schoolwork is somehow NOT finished......so, what the heck did we do all day???

 

:iagree:

 

 

 

Fulfillment comes when those same kids actually graduate college, get awards, have fulfilling careers of their own, are sweet, loving, caring, intelligent, educated adults who still love you and like to spend time with you.

 

I really hope so.

 

I *do* enjoy schooling on some days, but I no longer feel fulfilled by it in any way. I think I'm disillusioned - I had no idea how hard parenting and homeschooling a bunch of kids with "issues" would be...especially when I have very little support and/or help in any way. :nopity:

 

I can't believe I have 13 years left of this. :svengo:

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For me, the feeling of fulfillment fluxctuates. Today, I may feel satisfied with a job well done... tomorrow I may be pulling my hair out and ready to run screaming down the street.

 

Before kids, I had awesome jobs. I was traveling the world (literally), mingling with interesting people, and being challenged. Would I want to be traveling for my job as much as I was now that I have a dh and kids? No. So I am not exactly sure what I would want to be doing other than this.

 

What really keeps me going on this is that I know without a doubt what the best thing is for my children. I know their weaknesses and strengths. I also know that in just a few quick years, they will be out on their own beginning their own lives.

 

This is just a season in my life right now. But to answer your question, yes I feel fulfilled by homeschooling as my chosen career.

 

(Except for the current jealousy I am feeling because my dh is having a fun dinner with two out-of-town colleagues at a ritzy restaurant while I am sitting here writing about how fulfilling homeschooling is.:D)

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I have found homeschooling to be very fulfilling. But, as someone here said, it's more of a marathon. Many of the rewards will come when the kids are grown. There are many seasons of homeschooling, from the excitement of the very first day, seeing your child learn how to read and knowing you taught him/her, to watching that child graduate and begin a new life as an adult. There are always new challenges: choosing the best curriculum, helping each child to develop his/her talents, and going through the college application process.

 

No, I don't get a paycheck at the end of the week. But knowing that what I'm doing has eternal value, and seeing my children grow up to be educated, thinking individuals, loving the Lord and loving each other, and being successful adults is a much better reward than a few dollars that will be spent and gone before I know it.

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I fall into the category of homeschooling being one aspect of my life. I work a couple days a week and homeschool the other days. I find my life as a whole fulfilling. Homeschooling is the part of it I enjoy the most.

 

If I could spend everyday at home schooling my dd, I would in a minute. I love my job but I love being home with her more. I love teaching her, watching her learn, and learning alongside her. I need to work to be able do afford to do the things the kids like to do.

 

I tend to try to be happy/satisfied with whatever I have going on in life. Once my homeschooling days come to a close, I'll find something else I enjoy.

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It would help to know what you mean by "fulfilled." It's really hard to imagine any activity, pursuit, or even calling that would, in itself, "complete me."

 

So, can I just say I feel privileged to be living a full, rich life, and that homeschooling is one component of that?

 

I guess what I mean is that at the end of the day I want to feel as though I have contributed something to the world. That my efforts are appreciated. I certainly don't expect it to, as you say, "complete me". No one thing can do that. I just want to feel proud of myself.

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I really relate to this. I felt very fulfilled when my children were small. Now they don't NEED me in the same way. I feel that my job is very important but I don't have the same zeal for homeschooling that I did years ago. I don't wait by the mailbox for homeschool catalogs to come in the spring. I don't love the planning anymore. I don't anticipate sending any of my children to school because I see so many benefits in continuing to homeschool. I just wish I had some of the passion I used to have.

 

God Bless,

Elise in NC

 

Thanks, Elise. I felt a little vulnerable posting that and it was nice to have you make me feel like I'm not the only one.

 

Lisa

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I do feel pretty fulfilled by homeschooling. I love seeing what the kids know and what we've accomplished.

 

On the other hand, I've been working full-time since last November for the first time and loving it. We're still homeschooling, but it's shared between me and our babysitter.

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I enjoy homeschooling my son and like the process of both teaching and parenting but NO I am not personally fulfilled by homeschooling. I am more fulfilled by the time I spend with my kids, the work I do, my marriage and my own interests than I am by homeschooling in and of itself.

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I am very fulfilled in my job of homeschooling, but homeschooling is not a very far cry from what I did pre-children and I was very fulfilled in that career. That being said, my eldest is just on the cusp of beginning independent work. I may feel differently 5 years from now when my youngest is moving into the same stage.

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Do any of you feel fulfilled by homeschooling? I don't, and I know it is because I don't value what I do. It doesn't help that I don't get any outside validation, (other than from dh), for what I do. I know that shouldn't matter, and I know I should feel proud of what I do for my family each day, but how do I get there? How do I make myself value myself? Does that make sense to anyone?

 

I do and don't find this parenting thing fulfilling. There's nowhere else I'd rather be, but I have trouble feeling fulfilled at times because I like to see progress. I like to get a project finished now and then so I can see I really have been doing something, especially when each day is much like another. Raising kids is a wonderful thing to do but they really don't develop very quickly. I'm sure I'll say differently in ten years time, but right now, it surely doesn't feel like it! It's important for me to have a few hours on weekends to work on handicrafts or at least to be able to barricade myself in my room for a while so I can read and finish a book. I donate to Kiva in part because I get kicks out of seeing money repaid so I can re-lend. It shows someone somewhere is doing something productive, even if I'm in a sleep deprived haze and can hardly see straight. Heck, even finishing a Shakespeare movie gives me that completion kick because dh gets home so late we take two or three evenings to get through one!

 

Do you blog? It helps to be able to look back a year and see that you really have progressed. My dd is only just starting a bit of K level work, but I started blogging when we started tot schooling. She's speech delayed so I would get on a downer about that sometimes as happened one day after we'd been doing our tot schooling for about a year. It may not seem like much, but it really cheered me up to see that in a year she'd gone from being unable to do a two piece puzzle (but how she wanted to!!) to doing 50 piece puzzles. It reminded me that we weren't really stuck in a time warp and the same old daily routine does eventually add up to Something.

 

Perhaps to value what you do, you need to picture what would happen if you weren't doing it. My FIL was ill in hospital in January and early Feb so I had to leave my kids with their uncle quite a bit. I almost never even have him take them for a couple of hours, let alone three days at a time. When I got home from those few days away, I took them to the chiropractor and he asked if ds' sleeping patterns were out of order and I said I wouldn't know because I hadn't been home. "Ahhhhh," he said. "That explains it. This kid is stressed." I had no idea. I'd got home after his bed time and he'd got up the next morning, come for a cuddle and disappeared outside for three hours, too busy to even ask for a drink which is unusual. To all appearances, he couldn't have cared less if I was there or not.

 

Imagine you went walkabout for a week or two. How many messages do you think would be on your voicemail? :D "Where is the?" "How do I?" "When is?" "Where are you?" "What are you doing?" "When are you coming back?" "Why aren't you here?!"

 

Still, I think this will be more fulfilling next year when ds can be trusted not to dive from sight as soon as he's let loose. Imagine what we could do if we had time to do anything other than chase him! :tongue_smilie:

 

Rosie

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Oddly, for a person who wanted a career so badly, yes I am. I was a teacher though. My mindset has changed so much. I long to be a barefoot, garden growing, chicken coop cleaning, country girl! I grew up on Long Island!:lol:

I want to live my kids education and be deep into nature with easy days and less stress and outside activity.

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I suppose I'm in a different place than most homeschooling moms. I've never given up my career. DH was a SAHD until 15 months ago. I got laid off, and we panicked. He found a job right away (after being away from his career for 7 years--so it is possible!), and I did too. So, for the past 15 months we have been a homeschooling family with two full-time working parents.

 

It's exhausting. I am a full-time telecommuter and DH has a flexible job. So, we're able to still homeschool, mostly because it's important to DD. I had a major panic attack in early January and called the local principal. But, DD made it really clear that she wanted to still homeschool so here we are.

 

I think because DD appreciates all that we are doing to make this happen makes this fulfilling. She knows I wake up really early to get a few hours of work done before she awakes. She knows DH works in the evenings after she goes to bed in order to bring her to an occasional field trip. She knows that we both juggle drop offs/pick ups to her activities. She knows that I spend much of my own "free" time, researching curriculum and fun things for her.

 

At the end of the day, that's all that matters to me. I am fulfilled because DD appreciates our efforts.

 

I have a successful career. DH has a successful career. Yea, we hope to get back to just one of us working again (though strangely, having us both work and juggle this crazy life of ours has actually helped our relationship). But, we waited so very long to become parents and had a very hard time getting here, that nothing fulfills us more than the sacrifices we're making for DD. But, it's because she appreciates our efforts.

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I feel *mostly* fulfilled by homeschooling. Not entirely, but pretty close.

 

The longer I'm "in it", the more my hobbies revolve around homeschooling and education in general. I'm always reading about it, I play here, I futz with planning... These days that's more for enjoyment than need. My current pet project is all about homeschooling. I like it that way.

 

I do have a few small outside interests/commitments, and I get very upset when I have to skip them due to dh's work schedule. It may not be Homeschool PC to say, but I do feel I need to keep a toe in "the real world" or risk getting sucked into some kind of vortex. ;)

 

I'll add- I was "just" a sahm for 6 years before we began homeschooling, so I definitely feel like I was taking on a big, new role rather than giving one up.

Edited by Carrie1234
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Yes, definitely.

 

I used to say I wanted to be a teacher. Now I feel like I am.

 

I was a stay-at-home mom before homeschooling was ever on my radar and while I liked not "having" to go to work and having the opportunity to raise my own kids, adding homeschooling to the mix feels more purposeful and fulfilling for me.

 

But I also organize a homeschool Meetup group and it's a very active one, and I feel that this adds a social element for ME as I get to chat with the moms while we're on our various tours and field trips...I think the adult interaction is important. I think I'd go a little nuts if I didn't have grown ups to talk to on a pretty regular basis (I mean this board fulfills that to some extent too but it's nice to see other adults in person). :)

 

And sometimes I'll get my mom to watch the kids and my husband and I will go out together, or my husband will watch the kids and I'll go have a girl's night out somewhere, or I'll tell the kids "go do what you want" and I'll take a little time for myself, and I do things I like to do...I keep up with my blog, I post here, I read, I watch shows I enjoy, before she stopped circulating it, I wrote a few articles for Secular Homeschooling Magazine, there are a couple of video games I like to play...I think it's important to do things you like to do for YOU and take time for yourself as well.

 

Now that the weather is nicer, we get outside almost every day and go for walks, the kids and I, and even though winter can be a little depressing for me (though the field trips and tours and outings do help with that), fresh air and exercise and sunshine and spring around the corner always gives me fresh perspective.

 

So, yeah, I feel pretty fulfilled by what I'm doing. I guess everyone could always have a touch of The Grass Is Always Greener Syndrome if they let themselves, I mean, could you always think of something you'd like to be doing? Traveling, owning your own business, going off to your dream job, I suppose. But could you be fulfilled by and love what you're doing right now? Definitely. I chose this, it's important to me, and most days I really enjoy it.

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