Published here with permission from The MOORE REPORT INTERNATIONAL - September/October 1996

The Moore Foundation, Box 1, Camas, WA 98607

Questions and Answers

"What If We Don't Measure Up?"

Q. I have just finished reading my second book authored by the Moores. I have read, The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook and Minding Your Own Business. I found them both full of information. I have so much to learn!!!! This is only our second year of homeschooling. We have three boys in grades 5th, 3rd and 1st. I have found I am a very structured person and because of this I like to have everything like "school." I am trying to change this. We have added a fun day during the week, where we study areas of education differently than through the week and play educational games. I always worry in the back of my mind though that we're not going to get our books done at the end of the year! I also feel the pressure is really on, because of all the homeschool "success" stories. What happens if we don't measure up? L.S., IL

A. I know it is hard to break away from the traditional school mode in our thinking. We need to have some goals and objectives for our children   some idea where we are headed for the year, or we won't know whether we accomplished anything or not. But to equate finishing books with finishing the year is really not what education is all about. Let the books be your servants. As long as the children are happily productive each day, doing their lesson in a math text most days, including practical application, engaging in exciting projects and doing things, it means learning will take place and you don't need to worry.

If your children don't do well it is not because you don't "measure up," but because of other things you may impose, such as forcing your children to study topics continuously in which they have no interest, presenting concepts for which they are not ready, either emotionally or physically, or that are coming at them too fast.