Homeschool support is one of the valuable sources that homeschooling families can tap into. There are two catches though that you need to be aware of.

For the majority of Christian homeschooling parents they have one over riding hope for their children – that they will love and serve the Lord before man made systems and structures.

After homeschooling your children for some time you will more than likely be involved in a homeschool support group, co-op and be frequenting on line sources for fellowship like e-loops and forums.

With this interaction between you and your children with other homeschooling moms and their children there will be a variety of situations where you may find that your feathers are ruffled by the way others “do homeschool” either in their choice of curriculum, parenting style or goals.

Perhaps you are a relaxed homeschooler and you socialize with a homeschooler who uses a more school at home approach. Possibly you are a textbook based homeschooler and you meet a family who are primarily using unit studies.

The longer you are around your homeschool support group it is possible that one of two things can happen:

1. You begin to second guess the way you do things

2. You begin to pass judgment on the way others do things.

Both of these things are dangerous to give in to - the second more than the first. In the first example you come away from homeschool support meetings, co-ops and outings wondering why it is only your children who say they don’t want to do school or grumble about their tasks. You may have seen examples of other children’s work and desperately want that product for your own children.

In the second example - you rather sit around thinking that you are the only enlightened one and you cannot understand why others don’t do it your way. You see children who learn their maths while hopping from one foot to the other or another who needs to smell and touch all the learning equipment before being satisfied that the equipment has been seen. Both these situations irk you beyond measure.

If you are the first mom...what should you do? Pray! Ask God what He wants for your family. Often the promptings in your spirit, when you see the product of others learning, can be that you are longing to incorporate these methods into your homeschool.
But listen carefully to your Shepherd’s voice and hear what He wants for you during this season of homeschooling your children. But if you feel that this longing is because you are not being diligent in homeschooling your children, then promptly deal with the issues that have been raised.

Perhaps you long to do more unit studies but have recently had a new baby. Wait for when baby is a little older so that you have more time. Perhaps you want to do more arts and crafts with your children but have no space in your home for messy play…wait and think of a way to make it happen.

If you are the second mom...please hear my heart – passing judgment on other homeschooling families is a very dangerous place to be. As you judge others, you will be judged. If you see something that is completely out of line, like neglect or abuse towards children, then pray about it for God to make a way before you pass judgment. Then speak with pure and humble heart to someone that can help without gossiping to many.

But if you believe that the way you homeschool is the only way to do it remember - pride comes before a fall and rather embrace the wonderful creativity of parents who are created in God’s image (like you are) and do what you can rather to encourage and build up one another in this homeschooling walk.

Remember we are all on different paths with the same destination. Have the grace to build rather that breakdown – yourself and others.

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