Are you familiar with the word “multiverse?”

According to the dictionary, it refers to a hypothetical collection of identical (or diverse) universes, including our own. I wonder what my alternate universe life might look like? When homeschooling teens, your world changes lightning fast.  The coursework is increasingly hard; the questions and discussions: intense.  The emotions and hormones: often raging. Why is everyone always hungry at different times and for different things??  I have thought on occasion, this is my last day. This is all I can do; because this is HARD and I could be doing something else.

So I close my eyes and imagine an alternate reality. The one where I meditate, have morning coffee and yoga with friends, go to the gym, spa, then shop like Mrs. Maisel – returning home with armloads of bags and boxes. My anti-flab, couture life.

Another alternate universe is one where I live in Paris and paint at the École des Beaux-Arts. I smoke skinny french cigarettes at cafés with other artists and writers and paint on giant canvases I stretch myself.  My dearest friend is Gertrude Stein-er,  who supports my art and poetry in all their forms; I speak perfect French.

And then there is the universe I have chosen. This universe. The one where I get to spend every day with my beautiful, amazing children and husband. We travel and adventure together and learn every single day something new, together. I still paint, write, stretch and shop. I am challenged in every possible way and I have never felt more alive as we expatiate through our homeschool days.  Interesting that the alternate scenarios involve only myself.  No kids in the picture. No handsome husband. What fun would that be?

Yes, I have felt like throwing in the homeschool towel during the past six years. With kids having just finished 7th and 9th grades, we have definitely experienced some rough transitions, as the school work does get harder and the stakes feel more “real” as the kids get older. But we push through and I change things up, and Voila! we are having fun again. With diversity, comes a deep learning which is passionately rewarding.

I think it is normal to feel like it isn’t “working” sometimes, but I try to take the long view. That being said, Homeschooling is not for everyone: not for every family, not for every kid. So if you are thinking about starting, trust your instincts. Go with it; try it on for size. You may be better at it than you imagined. However your homeschool universe unfolds, was meant to be. There is no pressure, and certainly no judgement allowed in homeschool.

With that, I am off to start our day. My perfect, chaotic, colorful, wise, messy universe that I love.

School is out! Tony and I, enjoying time with friends on the beach = Heaven.