There was a time in my life where homeschooling was an up and down thing for me. I think anyone who homeschools their kids has to die to themselves. When I had my first kid I thought it was so neat that someday each one would attend school so I could get things done.
On Chaz's first day of school I actually went out with some friends and celebrated! I now had one kid in school and only three at home. Huge milestone. By the time my second was in school I was pregnant with my fifth. I was just appreciating even the smallest breaks. I started to see my babies changing. They were learning academically but they were picking up other things not so good. So then I really started to have this battle inside of me. I liked having my breaks from them. I decided to give homeschooling a little trial before making any decisions. I got the supplies I needed, gathered my Kindergarten and first grader, sat them down... and quit in five minutes. I figured right then and there homeschooling was not for me. I'm not exaggerating about those five minutes. I was thanking my lucky stars for public school.
Eventually, as I began to die more and more to myself, I saw how school was fighting our beliefs and trying to influence the little moldable minds. Not to mention, the bullying ay school was off the charts. I would try to homeschool and then quit. Try another year and quit again. It was so hard to homeschool that I seriously needed those breaks. Thank God I eventually was able to keep them home with me and it is totally by God's grace.
Naturally I am NOT an organized person. If I organized anything it was out of sheer desperation and because of that only. I want to make these dressers where instead of drawers that you pull in and out. Instead they are like smaller size laundry baskets. Imagine like six of them and they roll in and out. Then you just take that one basket to the dryer, fold into basket, roll basket right back into dresser. Eliminate the need to transfer from basket to drawer. Might sound dumb to some people but when you have to climb Mt. Everest of clothes, eliminating steps means you get more time for better things. Ha.
Now I am really into the groove of homeschooling. Don't think I don't sometimes daydream about that yellow bus that could just come pick them up. I could just sip my coffee, wave goodbye, and read the newspaper before I cleaned. I've thought of it! They used to come to my front door. Well, my days are soooooo much harder now and its a ton of work but now I couldn't imagine having them away. I finally realized that while academics is important, their spiritual well being is a million times more important. :) What does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his own soul?
3 comments:
Hi Virginia!
I have commented a couple of times. I just wantedto encourage you in your homeschooling. With my seven kids, we started home schooling when the first was denied admittance to the local public school unless I put him on drugs. He had been diagnosed hyperactive- but it was completely under contro with diet. I chose homeschool rather than drugs. The second child would sit and "help" his older brother, giving answers and prompting him... so I figured I would save having two grade levels, and just started him on Kindergarten as well. When these two were high school aged, I sent ALL my kids to public school for four years. They got to experience bullying, peer pressure, and school busses. By the time the oldest two graduated, we had learned a lot from public schools. For one thing, I learned that no matter how terrible I thought I would be at teaching high school, I could do no worse than the public school my kids had attended. The year following their graduation, my three younger kids were back to home schooling. They were honor roll students at Public school. At home, we learned they could barely read, were terribly lacking in mathematics, and we had a lot of remedial work to do. (I had twins born just prior to the oldest boys' graduation.) I am now down to just the twins at home- they have never been in a public school. The older three proved up on their home education with GED's.
Yes, there were days we wanted to throw in the towel and days when we did. Some days you just need to take a break. Get out of the house... go to the park! Take a few days off to regroup... or maybe even a month where you do nothing but math and reading. Find a curriculum or style that works for YOU and your kids. (Don't invest heavily into any one curriculum until you know how it fits your needs.) Don't be afraid to mix and match.
My second born (the one who prompted his big brother in Kindergarten) graduated with honors from the public school, but told me later in his life, he never learned anything NEW in high school.
Blessings to you and your family ~Tammy~
Tammy, thank you for your comment! It was so encouraging. I've enjoyed homeschooling my kids and they are learning well but I always have those thoughts in the back of my head. Will it work out I'm the end? I was a public school kid and have forgotten a lot. I was an honor roll student also but I can't remember any of those older grades! Its been a joy to study and remember again so I can teach them. :)
I so want a dresser like that!!!!!!
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