Confessions of a Curriculum Addict (And How I Found Peace)

As a new school year approaches, and I’ve been planning classes, I’ve been thinking a lot about the things I learned through our homeschool adventure. So, in the spirit of clear hindsight (and hopefully helping you with your journey) I present to you….drumroll…..some thoughts with you about “shiny and new”….

Decision-making has never been my strong suit. My mom loves to tell people how I could stare at a box of chocolates for a solid 15 minutes before picking one. (The pressure was real, okay?) I like knowing I’m making the best choice. Add to that the fact that I’m a total sucker for good advertising, and well… you see where this is going.

Show me a commercial with a frosty glass and ice cubes clinking, and I’m pouring myself a soda. Suggest there’s a better, shinier way to do something, and I’m already halfway to checkout.

So naturally, about seven seconds after we decided to homeschool, my inbox exploded with emails from curriculum companies. New programs! Fresh approaches! Revolutionary methods! Oh, and don’t forget the "expert reviews" explaining why this brand-new curriculum is the only one that will truly prepare your child for success in life, college, and possibly space travel.

If you’ve homeschooled for more than a minute, you know exactly what I mean.

And yes—I fell for it.

An "expert" said children should be learning Mandarin Chinese.
Panic. Order placed.

A publisher announced a brand-new, cutting-edge way to teach Algebra.
Anxiety. Order placed.

Every new subject, strategy, or shiny workbook made me feel like what I was currently doing just wasn't enough.

And friends, let me tell you:
That feeling of “not enough” is a sneaky thief.

It steals your peace.
It fuels your doubts.
It keeps you up at 3 a.m., frantically Googling alternate grammar curricula, convinced you're ruining your child.

It leads to constant questioning:
Should I be doing more? Should I be doing better? Am I missing something important?

Let me assure you: you are doing enough.

You don’t need every new thing. You don’t need to chase every trend. There isn’t always a better way—there’s your way. And that’s more than enough.

This year, I hit the “unsubscribe” button on all those curriculum marketing emails.
We chose our materials. We made our plan. And then I shut out the noise.

And guess what?

We didn’t miss a single thing.
Not a workbook. Not a lesson. Not a language app or math miracle.

What we already had? It was enough.
(Go ahead, take a deep breath here. I did. It felt amazing.)

If you’ve been drowning in a sea of options, weighed down by the fear of missing out on the “best” thing—try unsubscribing. Clear your mind. Reclaim your confidence.

You’re doing it. You’re doing it well.
And you don’t need the new and shiny to prove it.

Enough really is enough.
Let’s stop chasing perfection and start embracing enough. If you feel stuck or overwhelmed and I can help in any way, I’m here for you. Give me a call anytime. I’d love to help with your homeschool journey.