If only Alexa & Siri could really help! Many of us have fantasized about the capability of AI during moments of pure burn-out and exhaustion.
The joy of funny homeschool memes - the gifts that keep giving.
We have all had some hard days of homeschooling, and of parenting in general. Days when we have tried all that we can, and for whatever reason, nothing seems to work. But here we are, at the end of an extremely tough year, with challenges that none of us expected. We've made it through, as best we can, and learned new things about ourselves and one another. It's time to honor that with some humor while we get ready for 2021. I've put together a list of my favorite funny homeschooling memes, some classics and some new ones. I hope these memes bring you some laughs, and some empathy -- you're not alone and many other homeschooling parents have felt your struggles, too. Let's all laugh together and congratulate each other on making it through this incredibly challenging year!
Parenting is hard. Let's start there.
We have off days, and our kids have off days, too. They might wake up moody and say and do things that just aren't like them. Sometimes our bad days and their bad days collide and it's just best to call it like it is: a total wash of a day. Take your space, do what makes you both feel comfortable, and don't think too hard about it. But make no mistake - you are not alone! Seek solace in the comfort of knowing other homeschooling parents share your woes. And find a way to laugh! Laugh at whatever makes your heart feel lighter - like this meme.
My kids had to explain memes to me. I felt a little bit like this.
I'm sure most of you have accidentally stumbled upon a funny picture w/even funnier words on it spreading on social media, and it got your attention. It really got you busting out a belly laugh. That is a meme and they are the pure, viral joy of the internet! Most likely you laughed because the meme "hit home", it struck a relatable nerve. More than just giving you a much needed laugh-out-loud moment, that meme transmitted empathy to your overworked homeschool soul. And for its ability to do that, the meme is priceless! Share it on social media so your friends can get in on the empathy sharing, too.
Ron Swanson has your back!
If you're a Parks & Recs fan then this needs no explaining. Ron Swanson. That's it. Does what he wants and doesn't ask permission. If you're not familiar with Ron Swanson, that's ok. This is all you need to know, you can do what you want! Go forth enjoying yourself as a homeschooler out of the sight and supervision of the government (Ron's pet peeve, even though he worked for the government!).
Will the real homeschool mom (or dad!) please stand up?
This meme is very gendered and I wish it weren't since I know there are many amazing homeschool dads out there doing the hard work for their kids and families! But I really love how this meme captures all the different misconceptions that everyone surrounding the primary homeschool parent might project onto them. I think we've all felt a few of these different judgments being cast on us and have struggled to make our voices and our real, authentic work heard and appreciated. Now if only someone can please make a similar meme for the homeschool dads out there?!
You're absolutely normal if this sounds like how you felt when you first began your homeschooling journey.
Visit HomeschoolSuperFreak for support and tips for newbie homeschoolers.
Many homeschool moms have felt this way about their homeschool curriculum!
Visit HomeschoolSuperFreak for support and tips for newbie homeschoolers.
This might get long, but I can't help it! I have to first admit that I haven't struggled with curriculum in many years, mostly due to being an unschooler in the later years of my homeschooling. However, when my kids were in an independent study charter school during their middle and high school years we did use curriculum on and off to be in compliance with the school. My kids wanted to be enrolled in the school to enjoy the benefits the school offered for learning center classes such as pottery, painting, cooking, Egyptian history, unschooling math tutoring, community service classes, scuba diving and so much more. So, we struggled to do what the school required.
We really had a terrible time with the Starline Press curriculum sets in high school that were actually recommended to us because they were supposed to be easy for kids to do on their own, which is what my kids thought they wanted to do. These were bare-bones workbooks that had 1-3 pages of obfuscated text that constituted some tortuous sort of "instruction" and following that was another 1-3 pages of what felt like trick questions which I'm certain that not even a genius could answer correctly on the first try. It took my kids googling different terms and lots of reading of the confusing text out loud (sometimes on the verge of yelling it in an angry voice) over and over to try and suss out the hidden answer. Many pencils were thrown at the wall during the days we tried to make this curriculum work. Why would a curriculum exist to trick students instead of trying to help them actually learn? So silly!
We often put these workbooks away and instead I created lesson plans for my kids from online resources based on what we were doing in real life. I made sure these lesson plans correlated with grade-level outcomes for the charter school. However, this was a lot of work and I was also a working parent. So sometimes we went back to the Starline curriculum.
This period of my life definitely felt like we all had an on-and-off toxic relationship with this curriculum. I think it's common for homeschooling parents to go back and forth with a curriculum depending on their goals and their children's learning styles. Parts of a curriculum might be wonderful and other parts not so great and it's normal to not progress through all of it sequentially or to not finish it. That doesn't mean you didn't get something out of it. You probably got all that you needed. And it's ok to put it down and walk away from it at that point.
The joys of working from home & homeschooling!
This meme captures an experience that all parents probably notice, but if you're working and homeschooling this is a phenomenon you will know very well! Feral children and phone calls are just a given, unfortunately.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is getting in on the laughs!
This is so incredibly funny! I love how clever this art museum is. Get people interested in viewing your classic art by making some hilarious memes out of it!
When you begin to consider non-academic paths to success for your child.
Ok, I have to talk about this one for a minute! This meme makes me laugh really hard, and it also makes me sigh! I hear the frustration, exhaustion, and the hope - common emotions of homeschooling parents - along with a clever acknowledgment of the accessibility of musical success many young musicians have experienced.
Having homeschooled all 3 of my own children recently I relate to this meme! During the harder moments of homeschooling, we might consider with a dash of irony that perhaps it's easier for our kids to become YouTube, SoundCloud, or Instagram sensations than it is for them to be successfully homeschooled?
Since the late 2000s, our culture has been engaged in a transformative, democratizing social media shift where access to fame, power, and success is available to the masses. People from all socio-economic paths, all ages, and different walks of life have used social media avenues to build and define successful careers and platforms for themselves. Maybe your child is the next one to have this experience - in all seriousness. Consider that "screen time" is a legitimate route to success, and the future of our world values "screen time" skills!
If your kids are drawn to making their own music or finding a way to share their talents online, consider that this might be the best investment of your homeschooling time to support them on this quest. Let this guide your child. Allow them to dive into it if they can. This is a great example of self-directed learning and unschooling. Homeschooling works the best when your child has a fire under them to learn and create. Wrap as much as you can around this experience to enhance what they're doing, by planning lessons of other subjects around music. Learn about the business aspect of a music career, find math problems that tie into that. Study history through the lens of music. Have them read and write about musicians - even recent ones like Billie Eilish (who was homeschooled, too!) Even if your child doesn't succeed in becoming a YouTube or Instagram star, it's still a worthy experience to let them pursue the dream of becoming one and for you to support them as they take the reins. They will learn so much, especially about how to find resources and how to learn what they want to learn. This is a highly valuable life skill - don't underestimate this skill. And if it gives you a little break, to recharge and take care of yourself, it's a win-win for everyone. And who knows... maybe they will become the next rap star.
The best answer to the super annoying socialization question.
Willy Wonka would definitely tell it like it is!
So many more people are homeschooling at this moment. People who have worried about the socialization of homeschoolers, now find themselves homeschooling their own children. Perhaps this socialization question will become less of an issue as so many new homeschoolers recognize the negative aspects of traditional schools and can appreciate that the socialization issue for homeschoolers really isn't one at all.
This is so true!! Another great one from the HomeschoolSuperFreak
I've given up on cleaning my car due to how often we use it to get out and explore! The only time I even vacuum it now is when a guest is visiting and I don't want them to be totally scarred by the experience of riding in the car with us!
Experienced homeschool kids are ready for the Zombie Apocalypse!
Iterations of this theme have been circulating for years in the homeschool community! It's sad to me that due to social distancing and community parks closures new homeschooling families don't have the freedom to experience the fun, zany times of long park days, and other fun adventures together in the spirit of make-believe.
A lot of kids' outdoor play is naturally based on action and adventures from stories they are exposed to. But kids in traditional schools have less and less time to play. Free play should be a part of a young child's life each day. So many benefits are experienced from free play, including problem-solving and social learning. Even inside play, with room for pillow fights and fort building, can help kids experience what they crave and need to grow.
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When You Are Confidently Homeschooling
This is simply stated and yet has a huge impact! This makes me giggle every time I read it! No matter how great your village is (your community school), I'm sure it has some quirks that make you go hmmm... and some serious issues as well. And for this, be glad you're homeschooling your children. If you continue homeschooling you'll most likely revisit this idea again and have even more agreement with it.
Live, laugh, and love (yourself!)
You're doing amazing things, and you deserve some empathy and validation. Don't forget self-care! It doesn't have to look like a spa day or a big event. Don't feel pressured in your self-care! Do what makes you happy, even if it's just listening to music in your car alone for a few minutes!
And after you've viewed enough funny homeschool memes (check out the Funny Homeschool Memes Facebook page!) and you've laughed your face off, scared your family, and vented with friends who can understand, visit Hess Un-Academy for some inspirational homeschooling memes to feel inspired by the choices you're making today.
What do you think?
I would love to hear what your favorite memes are! Please feel free to share your favorite homeschooling meme in the comments section.
Happy homeschooling in 2021, everyone!
This guest post was written by veteran homeschooling parent, Paige McKinney.
Paige McKinney is a mom of 2 grown unschoolers, and 1 nearly grown unschooler who attends a self-directed democratic school. She has over 19 years of experience homeschooling and unschooling in Orange County, California, including working with homeschool groups, educational non-profit organizations, and independent study charter schools. More recently, Paige decided to follow her heart and move her family to Pennsylvania, where she is exploring alternative education, gardening, and painting on the East Coast.