You've heard the old phrase (or lecture) If all of your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?! I had heard that a time or twenty growing up and I hate to admit it, but I have also said that to my own kids (even though I totally promised myself I would never say those words when I was a grownup)! I imagine they took that sound piece of advice exactly as I did when I was their age-- a la Charlie Brown's teacher... y'know, Waahhhh waaaah wa wahh waaaah wah.
In fact, those words came out of my mouth recently when one of my kids gave another one a wedgie. Yup, that's right, a wedgie! First of all, it's not a family ritual or pasttime to give swirlies or wedgies in this house. Second, umm... we homeschool so where did they get this bright idea? Third, that's just plain old mean and disrespectful to the other person. When the perpetrator of the aforementioned wedgie was further interrogated, his feeble defense was Well, my friend Luke does it! Ahhh... so Just because Luke thinks it's a good idea and fun, does that really make it the right thing to do? And this is the precise spot where you would insert the oft used phrase And if Luke jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?
Also, HOTM has a couple of giveaways going on right now where you can win some books or tickets to HOTM's Virtual Homeschooling Conference-- which is just around the corner!
As I write this post, there is a 93 year old gentleman lying in a hospital bed in a coma, moments away from death. Some would say "Well, he's had a full life." And to that I say, "Yes, he has." Others might say, "Well, he is old... you knew it was coming." Of course everyone dies one day, but that still makes this day sad. Sad because he is my dear, sweet mother-in-law's daddy-- whom she really does still call daddy!
I have been found guilty of expecting too much and being unrealistic. Expecting...
Too much from my curriculum-- it's supposed to make our lessons easy! and quick! and perfect!
Too much from my morning cup of coffee-- it's supposed to give me the energy of a 5 year old boy that's hyped up on sugar... and give me the endurance of a marathon runner.
Too much from my husband-- he's supposed to read my mind and never have a bad day.
Too much from myself-- I'm supposed to always have it together, never lose my temper, wake up at the crack of dawn and have white-glove-clean baseboards (HA!).
We've had many of those kinds of school days before. Y'know, the days where no one is listening, tempers are rising and that stinkin' page of math is taking in excess of 3 hours (and counting).
The concept of the stockade goes from sounding like an antiquated idea to a rather brilliant idea! Okay, okay. I suppose the stockade isn't the best way to handle those kinds of days, but can I at least reserve the right to consider it a Plan B?
To be honest, a great way to counter the homeschooling-is-currently-whooping-up-on-me blues is to make a list. Not just any old run of the mill list either. But a Hooray-for-our-Homeschool! kind of list.
Without further ado and for my future reference, here is a small sampling of my we-don't-need-no-schoolbus-because-we-ride-the-Cool-Bus! (aka my mommamobile minivan) list:
While my kids are not necessarily normal (they can't help it-- they take after me!), they think that having lessons on Saturday is normal.
So is going to the (uncrowded!) beach on a Monday.
Please visit me at to read the rest of my post... :-)
We're having an allergy triggered asthma kind of day. Please pray for Tank. He's really struggling right now. I've done his once-every-4-to-6-hours inhaler twice in the past 3.5 hours and an additional nebulizer treatment. It seems to work for an hour and then he's bad again. I might have to call the nurse's line.
He'll be sleeping with me tonight so I don't have to constantly get up in the middle of the night to make sure he's breathing okay. I think it is going to be a very long night indeed.
It really does put into perspective the whole new-house-is-delayed-by-at-least-another-4-to-6-weeks stress thing that I was dealing with yesterday. House schmouse-- WHO CARES?! There are most definitely more important things in life-- like my precious boys. Thank you, dear God, for taking the time to point me in the right direction. I get distracted so easily sometimes...
***update***
Hey, we made it all the way until 4:30am! Hooray! That is better than I expected. Tank still sounds bad but a little sleep goes a long way to recovery... and it's always easier during the day when I can call the doctor during business hours (I hate having to call them after-hours). I'm glad that God doesn't have business hours!
While Dash has been away at camp this week, *I* have learned one MAJOR lesson:
I don't pray enough for him (or for my husband and other children)!
I was so overwhelmingly concerned for him as we were sending him off to camp and while he's been there, that I have prayed for him constantly.
I have realized that while I do pray for my husband and children, I do not pray for them constantly. There is a h-u-g-e difference between the two! Praying constantly keeps me focused on my job (which is not quite the word I'm looking for) as a wife and mother. What an amazing privilege and responsibility!
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
~Hebrews 4:16
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
~Jeremiah 33:3
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
~Matthew 6:6
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
~I John 3:22
There are many reasons why we love homeschooling and why we answered God's call to do it. Here are some of the many ways that we have been blessed by choosing to keep our children at home...
I have one boy who loves to sleep-- his body just needs it! Today, Tank didn't get up until after 10am. I am so thankful that my growing 5yo can sleep for over 13 hours if need be. (Now if this would just rub off on the other two, I'd be set!).
Since we don't have to rush off to catch the bus or wait in the drop-off lane at school, Dash can have three loads of cereal in the morning.
I'm around my boys enough to know that they like to say "loads" instead of "servings".
My husband does not have a traditional Mon through Fri job. I love that the boys get to spend both quality and quantity time with him! Today they are planning to add a roof and other fun stuff to their backyard fort. And it's only a Wednesday!!!
I woke up the other day to find my early riser (Dash) quietly doing math. He actually did 4 days' worth and tried to get me to let him have the rest of the week off. :-) Nice try, buddy, but how about no math for just tomorrow?
I think it's funny that I have to yell at the kids I mean it! No toys, no swords, and NO BOOKS in bed!
When Tank and I were at the grocery store yesterday, we saw one of his favorite fruits-- clementine oranges! We then spent the next 10 minutes talking about one of our favorite read-alouds last year My Father's Dragon. He corrected me when I said the dragon liked the tangerines on the island. No mommy, I remember, he liked some kind of plant and thought the tangerines were disgusting! Elmer (the boy) liked it though. He was right, I was wrong...and I was happy to be wrong for once.
The boys have enough time after our lessons to hunt for crawfish, catch lizards and play yard golf.
I think I'm having more fun learning than they are! We just finished reading a bunch of Greek Myths. Sure, I read The Iliad in college and new about many of the myths, but how could I have never heard of some of the other ones? (I was most surprised to read the one about Arachni...very cool.)
Homeschooling allowed Tank to start Kindergarten when he was ready...at 4.5...and in JANUARY of last year.
Field trips are a lot less crowded and a lot more enjoyable when you can go on a weekday...and after noon when the school buses have left to take the other kids back to their schools.
Oh, and I've made many friends here at HSB-- and even met several of y'all IRL!!!
My days are definitely not perfect and I have tons of room for improvement. When things don't go quite like I planned or the kids are being difficult (or maybe *I'm* being the difficult one!), it is so easy to get discouraged. It is in these times that I try to count my blessings. There is no blessing too big or too small to remember. And now that I have this little list, I can look back on it down the road and be encouraged.
How have youbeen blessed by homeschooling? (Be sure to write it down!)
I'm Marsha...proud wife, mommy to 3 boys, home educator, chief cook and sippy-cup washer, chaos coordinator...
There's always something going on at my house-- not always good, but always something!!!
You've heard the old phrase (or lecture) If all of your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?! I had heard that a time or twenty growing up and I hate to admit it, but I have also said that to my own kids (even though I totally promised myself I would never say those words when I was a grownup)! I imagine they took that sound piece of advice exactly as I did when I was their age-- a la Charlie Brown's teacher... y'know, Waahhhh waaaah wa wahh waaaah wah.
