Every homeschool mom is unique! Their ideas, opinions and personality quirks is one of the things that makes the homeschooling landscape so varied and so much fun!
Although the moms are each a little bit different, homeschooling moms have much in common, too. It can be comforting to find another mom like yourself to click with instantly! On the flip-side, there are benefits to meeting a mom so different that you learn something new every time you get together!
I have met many homeschool moms over the years and I am so grateful for this aspect of my job. I enjoy chatting with them and hearing all of the ideas and points of view they bring to our conversations. Actually, it is one of my favorite things to do! I notice similarities during these conversations, and can often spot things I’ve heard from other moms so many times before.
Call it “research”, “people watching”, or whatever you like, but I love meeting homeschool moms wherever I go. Meeting with moms (and dads and kids, too) drives my work and fills my soul.
In the spirit of fun, I have assigned names to some of the kinds of homeschool moms I meet. I thought by labeling the moms I meet that others might find comfort in knowing there are other women out there just like them. In the community of homeschoolers, no parent is ever alone!
So, which type of homeschool mom are you? Read on to find out!
Are you a…Newcomer? The Newcomer is the mom who is new to homeschooling or hasn’t done it very long. Everyone was a Newcomer once, so it’s important to remember our own beginnings by welcoming this mom with open arms and a helping hand. This is the mom who takes everything in and sometimes takes lots of notes, too. Sometimes, she hits the ground running with loads of questions, but other times she may be timid and shy. She is excited and eager, but might secretly be just a little bit nervous, too. Take The Newcomer by the hand, introduce her to other moms and help her get plugged in. The Newcomer doesn’t always know all of the vocabulary or understand everything that may be going on in town, so be understanding and try not to overwhelm if you feel she wants to take things slowly.
Or, maybe you’re…The Nervous Nellie — the mom who has been homeschooling for quite a while but is always second-guessing herself. Though she’s doing a great job, she worries about every detail and wonders if she may be doing a terrible job. Other homeschoolers try to reassure her. Her kids are happy and her husband is supportive. However, Nervous Nellie is so busy planning and worrying about her next lesson/next homeschool purchase/next schedule, she doesn’t notice that things are great just the way there are. Moms who have been there/done that, can help Nervous Nellie relax and see that her efforts are really yielding great results.
How about…The Busy Bee? She’s the mom who does it all. She’s signs up for every field trip and attends most activities that happen in town. She’s an expert at planning life around activities and knows the community calendar like the back of her hand. Never without a book or a magazine plus cooler full of snacks, this mom is ready for whatever the day takes on. Nothing happens in town that this mom doesn’t already know about or hasn’t tried before, evidenced by the mileage on her vehicle and change of clothes in the back of the car. Exhausted as she may seem (and sometimes her children, too), she somehow thrives on events and believes in finding as many educational opportunities for her homeschoolers as she can. Though Busy Bee’s lifestyle isn’t for everybody, she must be left to make her own choices for herself and her children, since only she knows what’s best for her family.
How about these moms? Do you see yourself, or a friend, among this list?
The Time Keeper is the mom who usually “does school” with her children in the mornings and doesn’t do anything else until the school day is done. Carefully tracking lessons and hours, this mom is devoted to planning and dutifully following what is on her daily agenda. This mom is often a curriculum user, a firm homeschool supervisor and usually a strict record-keeper, as well. She is rarely willing to sacrifice planned schooling for other activities that infringe upon this time, though she makes time for outside activities if they fit into the overall curriculum plan. A great resource, The Time Keeper can be trusted for information, as she tends to save important documents and information for a very long time. She sets an excellent example for other moms who desire to follow along the same path, so other moms can turn to her for advice, too.
The Freeform Mom is usually up for anything! An experiment, a great book, a museum visit, or a day at the water park are just some of the activities this mom allows into her day with comfort and ease. She changes plans easily, too, never really knowing where the day might lead her. Freeform Mom tracks her time rather loosely and doesn’t worry much about meeting specific goals on specific days. She’s often the mom who shows up late or not at all! Instead, she looks at the “big picture” and is confident that the cumulative value of experiences is what’s most important at the end of each day. Freeform Mom occasionally looks to other moms for ideas about reaching important educational milestones if she isn’t quite sure how to get there on her own. Other moms may privately envy Freeform Mom a little bit, for she seems to hold the key to homeschooling relatively stress-free. Time Keepers in particular may look to this mom for tips on how to relax their efforts just a little bit.
The Seeker just can’t quite commit to anything for too long a time. This mom changes gears like the weather, and has the tendency to switch up what she’s doing on a regular basis. Never afraid to try something new, The Seeker is always looking for something a little bit better/harder/cheaper/more organized/a better fit. She listens and watches what others do, conducts careful research, and doesn’t hesitate to try many of the methods and products she hears about. The Seeker eventually settles upon a routine for some length of time…but don’t be surprised if her homeschool undergoes a complete overhaul somewhere about mid-year or sooner. Children of The Seeker learn to be flexible, and where consistency lacks, they benefit by exposure to many different things.
The Fizzler is growing tired and almost burnt-out on the same-old homeschool routine. She runs through the motions of her homeschool day and her children are served very well; however, The Fizzler she has all but lost her zest and motivation for homeschooling. Often the mother of many, but sometimes just the mother of 1 or 2, this mom has temporarily forgotten the joys of homeschooling and has allowed fatigue or boredom to dominate her daily routine. With help, The Fizzler can regain her enthusiasm and become refreshed all over again. Other moms can help by inviting her to support meetings, mom’s nights, and homeschool conferences for some well-deserved R&R. Her spouse can help by suggesting a little bit of time off from regular schoolwork, too. A change of pace, including good nutrition and regular exercise, plus a dose of personal time, can get The Fizzler right back on track in no time flat.
There are lots of other kinds of moms, and these are just a few that I have identified for fun.
Can’t find yourself on this list? Add to the fun! Won’t you please add to my list in the COMMENT area? Thank you!
