I’m about to push a button.  By writing about something a little touchy.

I fear I may ruffle some feathers.

In advance — I’m sorry.

But, if you’ve been with me for some time, you’ve begun to understand.  Read previous posts if you have to.

You know I don’t want you to settle.  And I don’t think you need to sacrifice yourself just to homeschool, either.

Remember, I started this blog, this web site, and began offering my services because I want your life to be extraordinary.

Mine is.

I know you want that, too.

But, if I’m right, in addition to homeschooling, making a home, and being a parent, another part of you wants personal and professional success.

You want a job, a career, and a reason to get up in the morning besides math and laundry.

You seek online popularity.  A following.  Connection.  A side income. Free product.  An outlet, a hobby, fulfillment, recognition, appreciation, and the rest.  Or, maybe you need to replace — even exceed – a full-time income, too.  I get that. I really do.

You can have it.

But, a word of caution…

Your kids need you, too.

See, if you aren’t careful, observant, ultra vigilant and very-very-very aware, your  path to success can be detrimental to your kids.

That’s right — you might actually harm them.

In fact, while it may seem innocent enough, your commitment to your success, your personal evolution, your professional development — while commendable and certainly very valuable for you – well, it could leave them (your kids) in the dust.

The dust, folks.

In search of your own success, isn’t it possible — even a teensy bit possible – that there isn’t enough of you left for them?

Taking your attention away from your kids and heaping it upon yourself has a way of undermining things.  Your homeschooling, for sure. But, in reality, everything surrounding and having to do with your kids.

Let me be very clear.  For us homeschool parents, focusing on ourselves is necessary.  It’s required for our health, a prerequisite for our sanity, and critically necessary for our relationships and overall happiness.  It’s a no-brainer, really. ALL parents need a break every once in a while.

But overly focusing on ourselves (our blogs, our stats, our social media, our goals, our training) is risky.  Unless well-scheduled and well-balanced, there may be little time left to focus on the other things we need to do.  As in, our kiddies.

When climbing your own ladder of success, please — I beg you.  Take your children with you.

See, it’s a balancing act.  And I’m worried.  Because, for some of you, that balance may not be quite right.

I worry you may ignore them.

I worry you may shush them, assign busywork, brush them off, or turn on the television/computer/video box, a little too much.

I worry the lure of a second income, the distraction of social media, and the whole ‘I can have it all’ mentality may suck you in.

And, heck, I’ll just say it…I worry achieving your professional goals may make you less-than-a-great-parent.  Not forever.  But at a time when your kids really need you.

Have I ever been guilty?  You bet.  But, fortunately, I think I learned quickly.  I can tell when I’ve ignored my role or my family just a little too much.  I can recognize when I have allowed something in our home or school or health or relationships to slip.  Either I notice it, or they tell me.

That’s why I don’t blog more often.

That’s why my list of projects is always a mile long.

Believe me, this all takes practice.  I’m not perfect, either.  It takes trial and error to get the balance just right, and then things go and change, so you have to start all over again.  In our home, this seems to happen several times a year.

But it’s worth it, don’t you think?  Because the kids won’t need 100% of you forever.

Besides, your kids want to climb, too.  They need to.  That’s why you’re doing everything you do!

Try to remember why you’re homeschooling, as this will guide you.  You’ll know when to give the kids a boost, helping them to reach the first and second steps.  You’ll know when to hold their hands, and when to back up and just start holding the ladder.  You’ll know when to stand there watching nervously, and when it’s time to turn your back so they can climb alone.

And, if you’ve done your job right, they’ll know how to avoid the top-most, wobbly step.

And then there will be more time for you.

So, when you plan your success, parents, feel free to climb separately from your children, or by holding hands together.

But, please, just don’t climb alone.

 

 

 Other articles you might like:

Time out for moms and dads

Growing great habits

The importance of listening to your kids

Working parents can homeschool, too

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