We used to joke about living in a town quoted by Bugs Bunny.

Apparently, this little town was where “Goldilocks was serving time for breaking and entering”.  Ah, Tehachapi, Ca.

A friend made up this little giggler to help his kids say the name of our little town:

Q-“Why did the chicken sit on a pea pod?”

A-“To Hatch a Pea!”

Tehachapi is a little train depot in the mountains of Central California.

It’s dry, beautiful and filled with long freight trains.

Since I have five sons, you won’t be surprised that I had to have more than one conversation about the dangers of being near a moving train and help them resist the incredible temptation of putting things on the tracks just to see if “something will happen”.

“Don’t put a penny on the train tracks, it might derail the trail!”
{true or false?}

Temptation is incredibly powerful and can lure us into putting a worthless piece of metal in the path of a megaton engine that will take more than 2 miles to stop after it eats you.

Temptation isn’t always so obvious.

It can lure us into eating odd foods, responding to a dare, or even putting our kids into a school system that we don’t agree with.

I’m gonna tread lightly.

While I am all for homeschooling the way that works for my family, I would never try to convince you that my way will absolutely work for yours.

Each family is so unique, so beautiful, so chaotic in their own way. How could I possibly know what your family needs?

(my family)

Plus, I’ve done it all:

• Public school
• online public school at home
• boxed curriculum
• charter schools
• library school
• and whatever you’d call what we’re doing now:)

So I would never tell you there is only ONE way to homeschool!

The danger of NOT homeschooling/parenting to your own convictions is similar to trying to put a penny on the track.

Everyone else in the public school and homeschool community is racing by at lightning speed trying to tell you how you should do it.

Like those Tehachapi trains that would make me wait and wait and wait, these communities are long chains of boxcars filled with:

• curriculum that promises academic excellence
• judges that are quick to let you know you have failed
• juries that mock you from afar
• websites and facebook groups preaching “how to get your kid to become a lawyer by age 7”
• and my least favorite, this is the only way to do “_________“

Truth:You are never gonna knock that train off its tracks, but you are in danger of getting crushed by their train, losing a limb, or being sent flying in the opposite direction.

Don’t get too close to the fast-moving trains.

Don’t get too close to people who race by screaming their thoughts, philosophies, and programs at you in real life or on the internet. It surprises me…

I catch myself listening to what other people are saying all the time. I mean, really listening. Most people, especially on the internet aren’t looking out for your best interest.

They’re just slinging their own opinions out the window at you as they race by.

The people you want to listen to are the ones walking away from the train, the noise, the confusion.

People like you, me, us.

We aren’t impressed with the train, so we are making our own trails in opposite directions.

I think that’s what I love most about our “little homeschooling part of the internet”.

Whether you’re a

• Reader of A Better Way to Homeschool

• Homeschool coffee friend {that chats with me via email}

• or a Character first homeschooling mama on facebook… 

I love that you’re slowing down with me to avoid the fast-moving trains!

My question for you today:
Do you know a homeschooling mama who is standing too close to the tracks?

Invite her to join us as we wander through homeschooling together.

Let’s keep our pennies in our pockets and avoid fast-moving trains together!

Print this free homeschool mom reminder.

This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it!

Here is a sneak preview…

Download Your Free Printable

1. Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
3. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.