Did you know there are times that I get discouraged? I am HUMAN, you know! More often than not it has to do with my own great ideas not being as enthusiastically received by my children as I’d hoped. Other times it’s not being able to do all I want due to illness or weakness, and then there’s just the normal parenting stuff.  Either way, life can feel difficult even when we have everything we need. So when we feel lacking–be it knowledge, resources, or just plain confidence–woah, it can feel downright unbearable!

For me, the battle is usually in my head and the thing that helps me have the victory, besides going to the Lord for my strength, is reading encouraging articles and posts which align with my philosophy of education. It’s nice to know there are others out there who are going along the same road and have already experienced triumph despite the pioneering nature of this journey.

Here are ten  eleven favorite articles I’ve written to bring you victory and restore your spark as you continue on the homeschool journey ahead:

• The Key to Your Child’s Heart - A guest post I wrote about on an Interest-Led Learning blog which gives my story in detail, how we entered the world of interest-led learning and practical tips and suggestions for you.  Knowing where I came from and where I am now is sure to encourage you in your journey.
• How to Become Your Child’s Favorite – In this piece I applied the principles of the TED Talk symposium to parenting or teaching and how being that kind of person would make you your (or any) child’s favorite.
• Top 10 Ideas for Deschooling Yourself - If you are experiencing a lot of frustration in your home schooling experience, you perhaps need to do some serious deschooling.   Here are 10 ideas to get you redeem your own spark.
• Can You Be Successful Without a College Degree? – If you’ve read my blog at any length, you’ll know the answer is an emphatic YES, but this post is a link to an amazing list of successful folks who never obtained a degree.  Just reading through that will remind you to relax a little, that we’re all on a journey and a college diploma which doesn’t reflect who you are or what you actually know or do is not the end-all of life.
• How Getting Out of Kids’ Way Can Help Them Thrive – A great article about a school’s project which proves self-directed, independent study projects work.  Interesting that the school only allowed it for one semester though!
• How to Motivate Your Child to Learn – Maybe you’re discouraged because your child doesn’t seem to want to learn.  These three simple tips can help solve this problem.
• Learning Disability? A Different Perspective – Or perhaps your child seems different and yet your instinct tells you there’s not really a learning disability there.  Is there even such a thing as a learning disability?  Read this perspective and be encouraged!
• Shedding the Light on Delayed Reading – Discouraged about reading or learning delays?  This one is for you!
• Getting to the Heart of Conflict – Communication is the key to a successful home life and the process outlined in this piece can be applied to any and all situations between any relationship!  When people feel listened to and are able to express their feelings and needs in an atmosphere of respect, they feel loved.  This process shows you how to foster that love whether you are in the midst of crisis now or anytime you need to communicate with loved ones over differences and difficulties.
• My Story of Discovering, Reviving & Thriving - Here’s another version of my story, my original post that kicked off this blog in October 2010.  If I can do it, you can too!

Bonus:  Don’t Fall Into the Same Trap You Left Behind - You may be completely discouraged because you left a traditional school with hopes that things would be different, but in fact, they may have gotten worse on different levels.  Read this and see if you’ve fallen into the same trap you left behind and take the advice to get back to a simpler lifestyle and let go of the thinking that is shackling you.

Have a favorite article that has encouraged you in the past? Feel free to link to it in the comments section below.