We've had a couple weeks here where school was not really up to par. We've just been "getting it done."
My daughter's best friend is moving away this weekend. 7 hours away. Her mom happens to be a very close friend of mine. We are, in essence, both losing our best friends.
In light of that we have been spending more time with these friends, or at least my daughter has.("My" friend has turned into a packing-to-move-house-is-on-the-market maniac :) Daughter's friend is also homeschooled and we have taken advantage of that by taking little day trips and spending as much time together as possible before they leave. I have been scheduling, and doing all academics, but have not been very motivated to do more than the minimum. Just enough to count it.
Today, I planned for more than we have been doing. And doing it all was hard. After feeling like a slacker mom for the last 2 weeks, today we put our nose to the grindstone a bit more. It was like exercising after a 2 week break. (maybe-I don't exercise that much) I didn't OVERdo it, I just didn't UNDERdo it. It seemed to take forever, we weren't into it til about halfway through. We "slogged" through the subjects. Somewhat sluggishly at first, feet dragging. But as we went on, our higher goals inspired us. OR at least inspired me, and fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, from my children's point of view) my ambitions are their goals, at least for now. Finishing was its own reward. The feeling of accomplishment, of a productive day of learning, was motivating in itself.
My dad used to say "You have to do it, so do it right and get it done." Schooling at home will not always be fun (I bet you all just shot straight up and said "I did not know that!")
Someday, I may just be able to come right to the point without pontificating on it quite so much. As I concluded the thoughts above, a quote from a far more eloquently spoken and less verbose person than myself came to mind. So I will leave you with that.
The reward of a thing well done is having done it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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