I wish I had invented Instagram. Really. It’s an amazing idea that has completely changed my life. Now is that being dramatic? Not a bit.
I’m a picture taker not a status updater.
I have gained so much wisdom from my Instagram friends. Most of them I’ve never met in real life and probably never will, but they are amazing homeschooling mothers who live day in and day out the same way I do. I can see a photo they post about something they are doing at that moment and not feel so alone….because let’s face it…homeschooling can be so painfully isolating at times.
All the Instagrams of kids’ lunches or the 5th cup of coffee a mom has had that day, or the verse that really spoke to her heart, or the field trip that we can live vicariously through…it’s all there, for us, for encouragement.
You know what else I love about IG Homeschooling Mamas? We all do things differently. I mean, I follow one mom who unschools and uses art as her main medium for teaching. I follow another mom who has a full size trampoline in her living room, another mom who homeschools 5 boys but is able to keep her sanity in check. Then there’s me where you’ll most likely see photos of my sunroom, the kids playing Wii doing PE, or my never ending pile of laundry (so lovingly referred to as “Mt. Madorilaundry” – props to whoever knows where that originates from.)
There are supermoms all over the internet and none more real, raw and life giving than some of the women I’ve met on IG.
Now let me quote something that my Mom has always told my siblings and I…if you want friends, you have to show yourself friendly. Is your IG account life giving? Are you an encourager? When you share an issue or trial are you seeking to come out the other side, or are you simply sharing to get someone on your side? I say that because with of the media, sights and sounds that come at us every single day…I will only put encouraging, life giving things in front of me. Now we all have bad days, that isn’t what I’m talking about….I’m talking about the heart and soul of what you share. Share to document, to get ideas, to encourage and receive encouragement.
If you’ve been weary of opening up an IG account, you must remember that you hold all the cards. You can keep yourself private, allowing only those who you absolutely know and trust to view your photos, or you can be like me and keep your account public, but have the power to block anyone who just simply has no reason to follow you (yes, there’s absolutely no reason for a 17 year old boy with a profane word in his name and through his profile to follow a homeschooling mother…BLOCKED thank you very much!)
So there you go… How do I make homeschooling fun for me? I homeschool with some of the greatest mothers around…
Some of my most recent Instagrams…