Before you decide what it means, notice what happened.

Hey Reader,

Maybe this has happened to you:

Your child pushes the book away halfway through the lesson.

What does that mean?

The curriculum is too hard. The curriculum is too easy. Your child hates the subject. You chose the wrong program. You need to become more consistent.

Those explanations can appear quickly, especially when you’re already wondering whether homeschooling is the right path.

But “My child pushed the book away” is an observation, it's based in fact.

Everything that comes after it is an interpretation, what your brain is making that pushed book mean.

That distinction matters.

An interpretation can send you searching for a replacement before you understand the problem.

An observation gives you somewhere useful to begin.

Perhaps your child was confused by the directions. Maybe the lesson lasted longer than expected. The material could be a poor fit. Your child might also be tired, hungry, distracted, or adjusting to a new routine.

You don’t have to dismiss the reaction. You’re simply allowing yourself to get curious before turning one moment into a conclusion.

The same is true when something goes well.

If your child talks about a science video for the rest of the afternoon, don’t stop at “That was a success, homeschool mom of the year here-I-come!”

Notice what may have contributed to it. Was it visual? Surprising? Short? Did you watch it together? Did it connect with an existing interest?

Today, choose one moment from your homeschool and describe only what you could see or hear.

Instead of “She was completely disengaged,” you might write, “She answered the first two questions, began looking around the room, and asked how much longer we had.”

Instead of “He loved it,” you might write, “He asked three more questions and told his sister about it at lunch.”

You haven’t diagnosed or solved anything yet. You’ve gathered one useful piece of evidence.

That’s progress worth celebrating because careful noticing helps you respond to the child you’re actually teaching.

If you’d like personalized help interpreting what you’re observing, reply to this email, I'll be happy to help you get curious today.

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Christy's Corner 🐝

What happened in your homeschool today? (The facts, what actually happened?)

What did you decide it means?

Hit reply and tell me what you noticed...no judgement.