Some days we all just cry.

It's hard to admit this but some homeschool days are really bad.  It's particularly hard to admit in a place where people who don't agree with homeschooling might read it.  I can see a few homeschooling moms cringing and a few homeschooling critics looking a little smug.

But I don't think I'm alone in admitting that some days everyone ends up crying or angry.  Or both.  It could be over some difficult and/or boring math, or a writing assignment that seems pointless, or someone's bad mood that's infected everyone else.  It doesn't happen very often.

Days like these are the ones that make us question what we're doing.  "I'm ruining my kids!"  "This would never happen if they went to school!"  "Why am I doing this?"

We need to keep our focus on the big picture when this happens.  We need to remember the reasons we homeschool.  We need to look back on the good days and the progress our kids have made. Maybe we need to pray, or get out our most inspiring homeschool book to read, read a particularly encouraging homeschool-related blog or talk to a friend.

We need to remember that things would be different if we sent the kids off to school, but not necessarily better.  I suppose there are people who had a completely happy school experience and never had any tough days.  I don't think I know any. 

I cried when I was in school.  At school, after school, in the girls' bathroom or in my bedroom, I cried over all sorts of school-related problems:  Mean girls, horrid teachers, difficult and boring math (it's unavoidable, I guess), icky science labs.

The only difference was that my mother never knew.  She wasn't with me.   I cried alone.

It wasn't her fault that I was alone. That she was disconnected.  It was just the way it worked. 

My kids may have bad days at home, they may get angry and they may cry sometimes, but they don't have to do it alone.