As I reflect on our homeschooling journey, I realize how profoundly it has shaped our lives and the special connection we share. 

I have always chosen to homeschool my two children, and even after going through a divorce, I remained committed to homeschooling them. This allowed me the privilege to witness their growth and development up close, fostering a closeness that would not have been possible had they been in school every day.

Although the dynamics of my relationship with my older teenager and young adult are different, it remains a close and cherished connection. 

I often find myself longing for the days when their little feet would patter down the hallway and they would jump into my bed for morning snuggles.

When you become a parent, there are challenges and genuine concerns that weigh heavily on a parent’s mind. 

One of the most profound worries that grips the hearts of parents is the constant concern for the well-being of their child. Every fever, cough, or bump brings a wave of anxiety, and the responsibility to ensure your little one’s health can be overwhelming. The struggles of sleepless nights with a baby, the uncertainties of weaning and potty training, and the never-ending energy of a toddler can be exhausting.

We strive to create a nurturing environment, filled with warmth and support, to help our children thrive and embrace the world with confidence.

As they grow, we become increasingly concerned about their emotional and social development. Choosing to homeschool can come with countless additional concerns and anxieties. Making financial sacrifices, selecting curricula, managing an ongoing flow of projects, fostering emotional intelligence, and facing the relentless mountain of laundry. We worry about teaching them to read, mastering multiplication tables, and writing essays. The days can be mentally and physically exhausting.

Yet, within the chaos, there are moments of pure magic that make your heart swell, like when they wake up on their birthday and you announce that school is canceled just for them. You try to savor the magic of such occasions, but time slips away so quickly.

You embrace their passions wholeheartedly – music lessons, dance classes, sports, science projects, and exciting field trips. You stretch your monthly budget to accommodate these experiences because they are the very reason you have chosen this life. 

Yet, amidst the whirlwind, it becomes difficult to see just how swiftly everything is moving when you are right in the middle of it all.

Suddenly, those late-night nursing sessions, morning cuddles, daily read-alouds, handwriting lessons, math problems, museum workshops, and park days transform into months and years.

That little person who once cuddled up with their favorite book is now a young adult with a life of their own.

The chaos and laughter that once reverberated throughout your home now give way to silence and solitude.

You are no longer the parent of a young child who relies on you for everything, and the prospect of letting go feels like a knife.

You find yourself wondering how time has slipped away so quickly. It never seems like there was enough of it.

Did you teach them the right lessons? Did you read enough books to them? Did you spend enough time playing together? Do they truly understand just how much you love them? What could you have done better as a parent?

It wasn’t a perfect journey. 

Parenting never is.

But you were there.

That is why you chose homeschooling—to be present and witness it all. It may not make the process any easier, but you were there, and both you and your children are better for it.

Parenting is the most remarkable experience of my life. It’s filled with wonder and heartache.

But it never feels like enough time.

To all the exhausted parents with young children struggling to navigate the chaos, I urge you to cherish every moment and every stage.

Because one day, all those wild days filled with read alouds, messy projects, field trips, co-ops, phonics lessons, math tears, enchanting birthday mornings, snuggles, and weekday sleepovers will come to an end.

And then, you’ll be left hoping that you did enough things right, so that when your children spread their wings and take flight, they soar with resilience, confidence, and love.