Eyes Front, Ladies
A reminder to filter good and best as curriculum reveal season picks up steam
Hi, my name is Heather, and I’m so excited to tell you about the curriculum we’ll be using this year as I start my 23rd year of homeschooling! I’m going to begin with a point by point analysis of the needs of each of my children, going into deep , breathless detail about minuscule aspects of our day to day life that will leave you feeling vaguely inferior but also hopeful that if you do exactly as I do, your kids will be as eager to learn as I claim mine are. From there, I’ll do an unboxing video telling you why I chose each item, and using as many superlatives as possible to convince you to jump on board to this miracle program I’ve discovered. You may want to follow up in six weeks when I’ve set 85% of this sparkly new stuff aside and put out a more realistic review of the pros and cons… but I’ll bury that one pretty deep, so you’ll likely never find it and will be left wondering why you were unable to cut it with the curriculum that clearly made me the rockstar homeschooler you know me to be.
I’m kidding, of course.
Well, kind of.
Friends, it’s that time of year. Curriculum reveal season! In a culture that likes to blow things up to inform friends and family whether they’re expecting a boy or a girl, and has made mini celebrities of kids who film themselves playing video games, a curriculum reveal probably sounds mundane to most ears. But we’re not most ears. We’re homeschoolers. And we know that this is big doings.
Listen, homeschool influencers can spotlight some of the amazing, smaller curriculum writers and bring their work to a bigger audience. They can also compare the good and the bad, share how something works with a kid who learns differently, and let you know if this is doable with a toddler in tow. I’m not against influencers sharing!
What I’m against is diving in head first because someone with a great smile and the right editing software held it up in a square… and what we have on our own shelves looks pale in comparison.
Keep in mind that curriculum isn’t one-size-fits-all. Keep in mind that most people aren’t actually using the curriculum they pose with long-term. Keep in mind that they probably didn’t pay for that pricey program.
But most of all, keep in mind that they’re not parenting (and educating) your kids.
The Lord gave you your family. He gave you the unique ability to know their needs, to see their strengths, and to feel their weaknesses. He also created your family dynamic, set your budget, and knows how many times your newborn is going to wake up the night before you start your full court, 8 a.m. press.
So keep your eyes on your prize. Look and listen, but don’t touch without asking if the plan you’d had has changed, or if you’re just feeling antsy. Pray over everything. And trust that whatever the Lord leads you towards— fancy or not— it’s the best for your homeschool.
In Christ,
Heather