Permission to Fail (But Not to Give Up)
We’ve said it before—homeschooling is hard. Parenting is hard. We are going to make mistakes, and we’re going to do things wrong. That’s why we need to give ourselves permission to fail—but not to give up.
Most parents begin homeschooling with the very best of intentions. We want to give our kids the best—academically, emotionally, and spiritually. No one sets out to do a mediocre job (although those “World’s Okayest Homeschool Mom” mugs do hit home sometimes).
But even with all that heart and hope, things don’t always go the way we planned. Sometimes a well-mapped-out unit falls apart. A carefully curated curriculum doesn’t click. That reading goal by kindergarten graduation doesn’t pan out. And when our plans go off track, it can feel like a total failure.
Here’s the truth: feeling like a failure doesn’t mean you are one.
So how do you give yourself permission to fail—without letting it stop you in your tracks?
1. Change Your Mindset
We hear a lot about mindset these days, and it’s for good reason. The way we frame our homeschooling experience changes how we respond when things get tough.
Rather than simply giving yourself permission to fail, expect that failure will happen—and prepare for it. Not because you’re incapable, but because you’re human. And because homeschooling is a living, breathing, messy process.
Set goals. Make plans. Dream big. But hold it all with an open hand. A change in plans doesn’t mean failure—it means you had the chance to adapt, grow, and experience something different.
Pro tip: Don’t overcommit in your planner. Write in pencil. Leave lesson numbers blank and fill them in after you complete them.
2. Give Yourself a Grace Allowance
When things fall apart, it’s easy to be hard on yourself. But grace is your best friend in the hard moments.
Giving yourself grace doesn’t mean ignoring what went wrong—it means learning from it, forgiving yourself, and choosing to move forward. You can fail at a plan without failing as a parent. You can fall short on a goal without falling apart.
The goal isn’t perfection—it’s perseverance.
3. Get Good at Adapting
Homeschooling well doesn’t mean sticking to the original plan at all costs—it means knowing how to shift with purpose.
When your plans derail, resist the urge to spiral. Take a deep breath. Look at what really matters. And then pivot. Maybe a subject needs to wait. Maybe a new friendship or field trip becomes the most valuable part of your day.
Many of us choose to homeschool because we believe that life skills and academics are equally important. So when life interrupts your academic goals, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re prioritizing something else important—and that’s okay.
When you stop viewing setbacks as final, you make space for resilience, creativity, and growth.
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”
Homeschooling isn’t a straight line. You’ll make missteps. You’ll fall short. But those moments don’t define you—they shape you. You have permission to fail. Just don’t give up.
Your child needs you, not a perfect version of you. Keep showing up. Keep adjusting. Keep going.
