As a second-generation homeschooler, not much fazes me. I’ve experienced it, heard about it, done it.

However, we’ve just hit a stumbling point in our homeschooling. ALGEBRA. The big, bad, oh-so-necessary-to-graduate algebra. So what’s a mom to do when Algebra becomes a daily battle?

Here are a few things I’ve done:

1) I’ve had to reexamine why I homeschool. Do I do it because it’s what God is telling me to do, or has it become such a part of my identity that I can’t imagine giving it up? Answering this question takes prayerful honesty.

2) I’ve asked for help. Now I did this on Facebook. You can do this wherever works best for you. But I admitted — in public — that we were struggling and asked for advice. I also did this with spelling, and the advice I got then was spot on for our family. This time, I’m taking the suggestions and praying through them. which leads me to:

3) I’m remembering that each child is unique and different. My 7th grader is doing 9th grade math. She’s having to work at math for the first time in her life, and there’s a life lesson in that. But it doesn’t mean that I should stubbornly stick with the curriculum we’re using just to make a point. What will work for her, may not work for my 4th grader or my 1st grader. This is an opportunity for me to recommit homeschooling each of my children to God and ask Him for fresh insight into what will work for each child.

How do you handle struggles with your kids? And if any homeschooling pros want to weigh in with Algebra advice, I wouldn’t turn it down!