In my internet rambles the other day, I found a Title Generator. These are simple little engines where you enter a keyword or two, and it returns several titles for you to write about.

So I typed in “homeschooling.” The generator gave me lots of punchy titles to write about, such as: How to Master Homeschooling in Only Ten Days!

Well, now. I’ve been homeschooling for over ten years and still haven’t mastered it. I wish somebody would write that post.

I kept reading over the list of titles and came across 5 Shocking Truths About Homeschooling. I laughed. But then I began reflecting on some of the surprises I’ve encountered over the more-than-ten-days I’ve been homeschooling my children.

So without further ado, here are 5 Shocking Truths About Homeschooling:

1. It won’t turn your kids into perfect kids. You can tailor every lesson to their learning styles, allow ample time for creativity, guide them through emotional storms, instill in them a love for God and people. They are still human and you’ll still have problems. If you start out with reasonable expectations, it’s easier to handle the conflicts when they come.

2. It won’t turn you into a perfect parent. Homeschooling doesn’t give us extra Parenting Points that exempt us from common struggles. Granted, homeschooling compels us to soften our edges, be compassionate, be firm, and really listen to our students’ struggles. But we are also still human. We’ll lose patience, misjudge situations, and burn out. Be ready to apologize a lot, which helps mend a lot of those unpleasant situations that life springs on us.

3. Your kids won’t always love school. I think this is the one that takes most of us homeschooling parents by surprise. We put so much thought and effort into our children’s education. In fact, we get pretty excited about it ourselves! But to your kids, it’s just school, and school is not always fun. The good part is that they do still love to learn, and when that moment of excitement flashes, you’re there to enjoy it with them.

4. There will always be other families who do some things better than you do. You know that public/private school Mom Who Does It All? She’s involved in her children’s classrooms, her kids eat healthy, they make good grades, and the whole family is always well-dressed. Guess what? That stereotype exists in homeschooling circles too. Of course, you are gifted in areas that others—even That Mom—struggle to handle. But the real remedy is to let go of the pressure to measure up to someone else’s outward perfection.

5. Your kids won’t love all the same things you do. I feel pretty vulnerable admitting this, but—my kids don’t love the Narnia books. They’ve read them, but not multiple times. Not to the point that I can say, “Does it get stuck on a hook halfway?” and they laugh. They don’t all love the same subjects I did as a homeschooled kid, either. (One kid hates grammar. How can a kid with my DNA hate grammar?) I’ve had to put aside several cherished expectations over the years.

6. Bonus! You will learn to love new things. From animation techniques, to new books, to discovering just how adorable a pet bunny can be—our kids have opened up new worlds to us, even as we’re opening up the world to them.

These may not all be exactly shocking, but I can guarantee that your homeschooling journey won’t go the way you think it will. But it will be good in ways that you never expect.

So okay, this is all fine and good. But what we really want to know is how master homeschooling in ten days. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered there, too.

How to Master Homeschooling in Ten Days

1. Don’t actually have kids.

You’re welcome.

—Sara

Photo Credit: iStock.