Panic

I haven't blogged much here because it's been freaking me out.  Completely and totally.  I have been absolutely stressing out over school plans for the next few years.  To the point of tears.

I know what I want to do, I know the direction I want our family learning to take...but yet, after spending time reading The Forum, I freaked out.  Is it enough?  Other people do more, or take another direction.  How do I know what to supplement, and with what.  I tend to get caught up in "keeping up" with everyone else's expectations...which kind of defeats homeschooling.

We will be a MFW family starting next year, in first grade.  My biggest stress has been deciding to do their first grade program then or this coming fall, for K.  J already knows their kindergarten level stuff and in theory could do their first grade program, but I had a vision of what I wanted kindergarten to be like, and a full first grade program didn't really fit in.

Seriously, stressing to the point of panic over the last few weeks.  Full blown panic.

I was discussing this panic feeling this morning with 2 friends who are also homeschool moms, both of whom just finished their first year of homeschooling.  Their advice - once you know (or think you know) what works for your family...stop.  Just stop reading the forums.  Stop reading the blogs.  Stop comparing.  Enjoy what is now, and let tomorrow take care of itself.  Just. Stop.

That's a tall order for me.  Reading the forums and researching countless curriculums is what brought me to our current kindergarten plan.  It's what led me to MFW.  I do have a deep, inner peace about MFW, but the panic of "what else is out there, is this enough?" fights to gain control daily.  Let Go.  Let God.  Step by Step.