Fear often holds us back in our homeschooling journey and robs us of the joy God has in store for us as we teach our children and create deeper relationships with them. I have yet to meet a homeschooler who hasn’t struggled with some of these fears — myself included. I find that on a daily basis, I need to be on alert for thoughts and input that spark anxiety and take my attention away from the truth that God equips those He has called to fulfill His purpose — homeschooling included.

Homeschooling fear is often cleverly disguised as:

  • Insecurity
  • Concern & Worry
  • What if?

Common homeschooling fears that attack our faith:

  • I’m not qualified or up to the task of homeschooling. What if I can’t teach them everything?
  • I’m not doing “enough” for my children. What if they miss out?
  • I’m not like “that” mom… what if I never get it together?
  • I’m not pleasing the children. What if they resent me?
  • I’m not pleasing my husband. What if I can’t do it all?
  • Nobody has faith in me, what if I’m not meeting the expectations of others?
  • What if… I fail?

Even a NextGen Homeschooler like myself struggles with these fears. I had personally been homeschooled for two years and enjoyed it, so I thought I would feel more equipped and “ready” to homeschool than parents who’d never experienced homeschooling. But I was wrong. When faced with the decision of what to do when our eldest daughter reached school age, I began to battle with these same homeschooling fears and concerns — the “big fat lies” that the enemy uses to hold us back from walking in faith down a road God was calling me to follow.

For the full story about how God helped me replace these homeschooling fears with faith and how I found freedom in my homeschooling journey, see my post, “10 Things to Let Go of This Year: Fear About Homeschooling.”

To find more resources at NextGen Homeschool to help you find freedom from your homeschooling fears, visit the posts below:

It’s my prayer that you will allow yourself to fully trust your Heavenly Father to carry you, strengthen you, equip you, lead you, and most important, LOVE YOU throughout the ups and downs of your homeschooling journey!

Do you struggle with any of these fear-based lies that weaken your confidence about homeschooling? Where do you turn for support when you’re feeling anxious and worried as a homeschooling mom? What breakthroughs of faith have you experienced on your journey?

Posted in Faith & Family, Homeschool Encouragement and tagged , , , ,

About Renée Gotcher

Renée Gotcher is a freelance writer, editor, and recently “retired” homeschooling mother of three daughters (her eldest graduated from Moody Bible Institute and two younger daughters attend Bob Jones University). Still adjusting to an empty nest, Renée is the Communications Coordinator for Christian Home Educators of Colorado (CHEC), where she continues serving the homeschooling community she has been a part of for the past 15 years. Renée and her husband of 30 years, Kenny, are next-generation homeschoolers who began homeschooling when they moved to Castle Rock, CO, in 2010. In 2011, Renée launched this homeschooling blog with her homeschooling sister and sisters-in-law. She has served the local homeschool community through part-time teaching and administrative roles at a private homeschool partnership program and volunteer leadership positions at homeschool support groups. As a freelancer, Renée was a contributing writer to the devotional anthology, "Life Changing Stories;" she contributes monthly devotionals to the Daybreak Devotions series on Crossmap.com and writes on her personal blog, The Pace of Grace.

1 Comments

  1. Dawn on at

    Hello!
    I have a son turning 4. My current struggles are actually quite a few. I am working full time while husband night schools. It’s my heart’s desire to be a homeschooling stay-at-home mom. I will work a night job if I have to. We struggle financially and are also expecting a 2nd baby. My plan is to not come back after birth, but I feel like husband is increasing his doubt in the financial sense of it all. And every time somebody asks me “oh, is he starting preschool this year?” I cringe inside before answering no. And when they persist, and I tell them we are going to homeschool, it’s as if 10 heads have popped out of my ear. Sometimes they comment, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes their eyes pop out of their heads, sometimes they just say oh and smile. I almost feel like I need to defend my decision…like post articles about why homeschooling is actually wonderful and does not produce weird anti-social hermits like the whole world believes. I have recently begun praying that if my heart’s desire to do this is not God’s desire for me, that He would change my heart. I really am struggling with finding peace right now in my decision.
    Thanks for “listening”.
    Dawn

    Reply

Leave a Comment