| We've all had those dreams that wake us up in the | | | | decision that you made, that has taken you off track. |
| middle of the night in a cold sweat. Sometimes we | | | | Have you added in too many elective options and |
| aren't even sure what we were dreaming about, but | | | | failed to meet core academic needs? Or perhaps you |
| we know it was bad. Nightmares are not one of the | | | | have been working too hard in one area only, such as |
| pleasant things in life. And like a nightmare, as | | | | Science, and you are not progressing with your |
| homeschoolers we can sometimes find ourselves | | | | students as well in English. Look to the decisions you |
| unexpectedly, in a sudden state of awareness that | | | | have been making, the things you are "watching" and |
| leaves us gasping for air. We may find that our child is | | | | "eating" during your day, and eliminate those things that |
| not where they should be academically, or that we | | | | distract you from your academic success. |
| forgot to do something that was important to their | | | | Another cause of nightmares is taking our worries and |
| educational experience or necessary credits for | | | | fears to bed with us. We go to sleep with a burden on |
| graduation. It can happen to even the most effective | | | | our shoulders and that plays out in our dreams. In |
| of homeschoolers. So what is a homeschooling family | | | | homeschooling, it is easy to worry about the methods |
| to do in order to avoid those nightmares? | | | | and the steps. It's easy to fret ourselves to the point of |
| Sometimes, a homeschooling nightmare, like a real | | | | a nightmare if we focus our attentions on our fears. |
| nightmare, just happens. We think we are moving | | | | Instead of doing that, choose to focus your emotions |
| along appropriately and then find that we dropped the | | | | on the gifts of homeschooling. Take some time each |
| ball somewhere. When that happens, it is important to | | | | day to discuss things that you are grateful for with |
| remember that we will "wake up" eventually. We didn't | | | | your children, things about homeschooling that have |
| want to be set off course, but in the process of the | | | | worked for your family, opportunities that you have |
| unfortunate experience, we will work through it, and | | | | had because you homeschool that you would not |
| there will be a resolution, just like every nightmare | | | | have had otherwise. Then at night, if you find that you |
| comes to a conclusion. So, don't panic. Don't make | | | | are worrying instead of giving thanks, be sure to |
| rash decisions or take impulsive actions. Remember | | | | reiterate for yourself some of the things that you and |
| your core values and reasons that you began to | | | | your children commented on that day. There are |
| homeschool in the first place and slowly begin to take | | | | always things to be grateful for - always - but |
| the steps to get back to where you need to be. | | | | sometimes we must choose to see them. It is a |
| Impulsive actions will only harm your homeschool | | | | choice! |
| program or your children, so act with intentional care | | | | If you focus on the repetition of gratitude, watch what |
| as you move forward, keeping your vision and your | | | | you are "eating" during the day, and make calm, |
| values in mind. | | | | thoughtful choices and decisions for your homeschool |
| Another cause of nightmares is because of something | | | | program based on knowing your core values and |
| that we ate or watched before we went to bed. Like | | | | goals, you will be able to avoid the homeschool |
| this, some homeschooling nightmares are because of | | | | nightmares that you hear about from time to time in |
| an action that we have taken that spirals out of control | | | | the media. Living the dream, not the nightmare, will then |
| into consequences that we now have to face. Try to | | | | become much easier! |
| determine what the cause was, or that underlying | | | | |