By Katrina Wright

Sometimes when you are in the trenches of homeschooling, it can be so hard to keep going. I completely understand, because I’ve been there! Even when my very supportive husband tried to encourage me, there were still those days that I felt like homeschooling was the wrong road for us.

I had so many questions along our journey:

• How can I get all of this done in one day?
• Which subjects should I be teaching my child? 
• How can I be sure that my child is really learning?  
• How do I create a transcript?
• Is college the best or only option for my child? 

It often felt overwhelming! Even though fellow homeschoolers were always very generous with their time and knowledge, sometimes they just didn’t have the answers because they were struggling themselves! 

And yes, there is a lot of great info online, but it can be daunting to sift through! How do you know who to trust? Has the person offering the help really walked this road before? Or are they just trying to sell you some new homeschooling gadget or product? Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Guess what?

You’re not alone!

CHEC understands exactly where you are and what you need help with! We recently launched a brand new Mentor Mom program, available to all moms and dads whose children are enrolled in the CHEC Independent School — one of our All-Access Benefits to help and encourage you!

I am passionate about this program, not just because I helped build it, but because I know what a blessing homeschooling was for our family and I truly want to see other families enjoy that same blessing! I’m excited that this program will help make other family’s journeys even smoother.

Now you can easily get the help you need to smooth out the bumps of your homeschooling journey! Just follow these simple steps:

Note: This program is exclusively for families enrolled in the CHEC Independent School. If you are not currently enrolled, you can learn more and get started at CHECIS.org.

• Login to your CHEC Independent School account and go to your All-Access Benefits Zone.
• Find the Mentor Mom program in the column on the left and click the “view” button.
• On the right a description will display that briefly explains the program. Click the link within that description that will take you to the online catalog.
• Browse the categories and select the one that you have a question about.
• Look through the subcategories and select the closest option to your question.
• Select one of the Mentor Moms in the drop down menu and find an appointment time on their schedule that works for your schedule too.
• Fill out the form to complete the booking of your 30 minute phone appointment.
• You will receive an email confirmation of your appointment so that you can sync it to your calendar (if desired).

Here’s what you can expect when that Mentor Mom calls you:

• Someone who’s been there and understands
• Someone with some helpful advice that comes from their own personal experience
• Someone who can point you in the right direction so that you can make a decision that works for your family
• Someone who will ENCOURAGE you on your journey!

Looking back, I am so glad I didn’t stop homeschooling. Was our journey perfect? No. Did my kids learn absolutely every single fact they should have? Probably not. Did everything end up perfectly and tied with a pretty little bow? No. 

Regardless of the final results, I know some things happened for sure:

• The Gospel was taught and God was glorified in our home.
• We bonded as a family and have wonderful memories to look back on.
• Our children were given the opportunity to soar where they are gifted and had the advantage of extra help where they struggled.

If you find yourself with questions as the new school year approaches, please consider letting the CHEC Mentor Mom Program come alongside you. Schedule an appointment with a knowledgeable and kind Mentor Mom soon!

Take heart! The days are long, but the years are short. Enjoy the journey!

About the Author: Katrina Wright

Katrina Wright is the Mentor Mom Program Director for CHEC. She and her husband, Rich, enjoyed the homeschooling journey with both of their children starting in preschool and going all the way through high school. Now, Katrina looks forward to sharing some of her experience and encouraging other moms! You can reach her at katrina@chec.org.