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Oh, home schooling. It's wonderful, exhausting, stressful, joyful, irritating, and precious all at the same time. I wouldn't trade spending all day with my kids and giving them a Christian based education for anything, but that doesn't mean I don't have my bad days sometimes.
Take, for example, the yearly winter meltdown. No, my kids don't have a yearly meltdown(there's are a bit more periodic than that!)
No, I'm talking about my yearly melt down that happens about every winter. The one where I sit on the couch sobbing to my husband questioning every decision we've ever made. Generally he ends up comforting me and sending me out of the house sans kids, which helps. This time he did that, plus we also sat down and tried to figure out some ways to make home schooling go a little bit smoother.
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One of the things we did was we rejoined classical conversations, that way the kids can get around other kids their age and I can get around other home schooling moms. I discovered this year that while I really enjoyed the break from having places to be, I also was feeling a little bit cut off from other people who home school. Thankfully, we were able to go back and the kids have been thrilled with this change!
Some other changes I've made for this year have been, prioritizing read aloud books and waking up earlier so I can spend some quiet time with the Lord and hopefully have time to exercise before the kids wake up. I've been amazed how much this helps get the day off to a much better start!
Home schooling is a wonderful blessing, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be here learning alongside my children, but it is also incredibly difficult sometimes.
What are some ways you've found to help make home schooling easier?
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We've actually become much more relaxed and are self-directed learners now, rather than the workbooks and unit studies we used to do.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear there is such a thing as the annual meltdown. Because I just recently had it. I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing, and I start researching what all my kids should be learning and how and when and where and *pantpantpantpant* cue the panic attack. I seriously had to pray through. Then step back and see how much my oldest has actually learned this year (which is a lot!) and relax.
ReplyDeleteShelly, I've had several people tell me that the more relaxed approach has worked for them. I'm hoping eventually I'll be able to relax more and have confidence in our home school. :)
ReplyDeleteLeAnna,
Oh there's definitely a thing as the annual melt down! ;) I completely understand what you mean these first few years of learning how to home school are hard and stressful! I like the idea of remembering how much they actually are learning. :)
I have an annual meltdown to it usually in the spring when I'm really fed up and ready for summer. What helps me is to bring my goals from the beginning of the year. Get out like you said be around other homeschooling families and remember why we do the things we do. Hang in there summer will be here before you know it!
ReplyDeleteso funny you say that...... I had one yesterday... :( and my hubby was sweet too. he sent me right out the door to go for a run and then a reading and praying time at starbucks. it helped. :-)
ReplyDeleteTesha,
ReplyDeleteGood to know I'm not alone! :)
Ivy,
Oh no! I'm sorry you had one yesterday! Thank God for good husbands!:)