Posted in Blogger Friend School

Assignment: This would be a good week to tell about your worst struggles with a lifestyle of homeschooling.  Tell about something you’ve struggled with and how God’s mercies gave us the strength to get past it.  Also, share any curriculum/homeschool methods that have been a relief to you, i.e., a particular Teacher’s Manual or Homeschooling method that’s been easier for your family.  Talk about how you felt when the burden was lifted and Oh, What a Relief it is! Memory Verse:  Psalms 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Well, we certainly have our struggles with homeschooling.  There are the days that the boys simply don't want to listen.  There are the days when the laundry doesn't get done.  There are way too many days when the house is buried in clutter.  There are the family members who think we aren't doing this right.

I often feel overwhelmed by all of my duties - by trying to balance wife with mother with teacher with citizen, etc.  So much of a homeschool mom's day is spent in the mother/teacher role that it can be hard to fit the rest in.  But if we don't fit the rest in everyone suffers.  So I suppose time management and home organization are my biggest struggles.  There is just so much going on that it often seems impossible for it all to get finished.

As for the burden being lifted, I'm not really there yet.  I am daily working and praying to find the balance and the motivation I need to be a more organized homeschooling mom/wife/housekeeper etc. 

As for curriculum, I haven't been hugely impressed or inspired by  much of what we're using.  Add that to my list of challenges.  I am grateful for the Rod and Staff Building Christian English series because it clearly shows my kids that God is part of our school day beyond our morning Bible study.  It also has an easy to use Teacher's Guide.

My youngest son is reading beautifully now, and that is a relief.  It is wonderful that I don't have to sit with him for every lesson and read him the instructions anymore.  I still sit with him a lot, but I can better divide my time between the boys now that he can understand on his own.  He loves to read and often reads aloud to me or my mother.  My older son is a challenge - he reads just fine but doesn't enjoy it and doesn't want to do it.