I didn’t always plan to homeschool. Like so many parents, I thought traditional school was the path. It’s what we’re told to do. You send your child to school, they get support, they learn, they grow. Right?
Except… what happens when the system doesn’t work? What happens when it breaks your child down instead of building them up?
That’s what happened to us. And that’s when I chose the harder path. That’s when I chose to break the cycle.
When the System Fails Our Kids
Seven years ago, my oldest daughter was struggling in public school. She has multiple learning disabilities and special needs that were supposed to be supported through an IEP. On paper, she was receiving the help she needed. But in real life, nothing was changing.
Her anxiety was through the roof. Panic attacks became a daily occurrence. She was slipping further behind in reading and math, without any measurable growth for two years. She was bullied. She came home every day defeated, exhausted, and overwhelmed.
We hit a crossroads. I could continue filing complaints, attending meetings, and trying to force a system to work for a child it wasn’t built for… or I could take a different path.
So with the support of her therapist and very little else, I pulled her out. I chose to homeschool.
This Was About More Than Academics
Yes, academics were part of it. But for us, this choice was about far more than school. It was about breaking patterns.
Because I had been failed by the system, too.
I refused to let that cycle repeat.
Choosing the Harder Path and Finding Healing
Becoming a homeschooling single mom with no support wasn’t easy. It meant stepping into the unknown. It meant letting go of outside validation. It meant learning as I went.
But I did it because my daughter deserved better.
And when I brought her home, something remarkable happened. Her panic attacks stopped.
She still faced learning challenges, but now she was being met with patience, compassion, and flexibility. I could slow down with her, explain things in a way that clicked, and celebrate every small win. Instead of being overlooked in a noisy classroom, she was seen. Heard. Valued.
This is what breaking generational cycles looks like.
Homeschooling Gave Us a Chance to Rewrite the Story
It allowed me to say:
Your mental health matters more than your test scores.
Your worth is not defined by how well you fit into a broken system.
You deserve an education that works for you.
You will not be dismissed or silenced.
It also gave me a chance to reparent myself. I got to learn what compassion and support really looked like. I got to give her what I never had. And in doing so, I found healing too.
This Is the Work of Cycle Breaking
People often talk about breaking generational cycles like it’s a big, sweeping moment. But the truth is, it’s slow, quiet, and deeply personal. For me, it looked like:
Saying no to a system that harmed my child.
Saying yes to something uncertain but full of possibility.
Trusting myself when no one else understood.
It’s still hard. But it’s also beautiful. And worth every single step.
I didn’t choose homeschooling because I thought I’d be amazing at it. I chose it because I love my daughter enough to do things differently, even when it’s messy, even when it’s scary, even when I feel like I’m building the plane while flying it.
If You’re at a Crossroads Too
If the school system is breaking your child instead of supporting them, if your gut is whispering that there’s another way, I want you to know:
You’re not alone. You’re allowed to question the path. You’re allowed to choose something different. You’re allowed to rewrite the story for your family.
There is strength in every small step you take toward healing and connection.
Want to Connect?
If you’ve walked a similar path, or if you’re just beginning to explore homeschooling as an option, I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment or reach out privately. You don’t have to walk this road alone.
