When people say to my mom "Oh, I  could never homeschool, I don't have the patience". She says "You don't homeschool because you have patience, you learn to be patient by homeschooling".  I think she's right, I think you learn more patience through homeschooling than you do sending your kids off to school. I am learning but I'm not there yet.

One day I was in line at a grocery store and the lady in front of me turned around and said "Wow, you are really patient". It had been a longer than usual wait. I replied "On the outside anyway!".

So often that's  how it is out in public. I act patient for other people. At home it is another story, I often show my impatience. I think in order to teach my children patience I need to model it for them, in and outside of the home. Lord, please help me!

Another thing my mother taught me that I think will really come in handy for homeschooling is that if I can learn, I can teach. If there is something that my kids need to learn that I don't know, then I can learn it first in order to teach them! If it is something I just can't wrap my brain around then I can find some way to teach them, either through video, CD, book, or another person.

When I wanted to learn Sign Language my mother found sign books for me. When I needed help with Math my dad helped me because it wasn't Momma's best subject.

I think the most important lesson she taught me about homeschooling was that the most important thing I can teach my kids is to learn for themselves. If I can teach them that then they will be learning for the rest of their life. I can teach them how to read and them teach them how to find a book on whatever subject they are interested in. I can teach them how to talk and how to ask the right questions. I can help them learn to look at things from every angle. I can show them how to properly use the internet for research. I can teach them how to take  notes to help them remember the important things.

Maybe my mom wasn't the perfect homeschooling mom but I did learn a lot from her. I hope that my kids will learn a lot from me.