[Thriving Despite Us] Happy To Be Homeschooling...Seriously!
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Kate
Jan 7, 2013, 12:01:01 AM1/7/13
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Today Elyse starts her first official day as a home schooler. It's weird. I
never thought I'd home school my kids. I am neither an ultra religious Christian
nor a non-shaving, organic food growing hippie. Who would have guessed
that me, a mom, who for years danced from the roof top each fall when the kids
went back to school, would love home schooling?
It was supposed to be a temporary 3 month stint with Will.
And yet I do love it. I like the flexibility. I like the calmness. I like the creativity.
It feels like it is just how it is supposed to be. Family movie night has become an educational experience. A trip to the Nutcracker ballet was preceded by a lesson plan and days of listening to Tchaikovsky. All four of my children enjoyed the Nutcracker in a way that they never would have had I not played them the music and read them the story in the days before we went. Almost everything has become a learning experience. All four of my children are the beneficiaries, not just the ones that I am homeschooling.
My relationship with Will has changed too. It is no longer about yelling at him to get up, yelling at him to get ready, yelling at him to get his work done and yelling at him to go to bed. I don't have to make dates and write it in the calendar to have some time with him. We spend each day together working at the kitchen table. I work at my paying job. He works at his school work. We hang together each day and all this hanging has made us closer. It's nice.
As my relationship with Will strengthened, my other kids have taken note. Just one month after Will started home schooling, social butterfly Elyse was begging to be home schooled too. At first I balked. There didn't seem to be a reason to home school her. Academically and socially she was thriving at the local public school. She continued to badger me..."Middle school girls are mean," she'd implore...."I spend half the day listening to my teachers tell the kids in the class to be quiet and pay attention," she'd whine. Neither reason was convincing but I finally realized there doesn't need to be a reason. It is enough that Elyse wants to do it, and it works with my job and our life style.
It has been a wonderful experience for Will and me and I assume it will be just as wonderful for me and Elyse. Besides, if it doesn't work out, the public school has to take her back. It's the law!
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Posted By Kate to Thriving Despite Us at 1/07/2013 12:01:00 AM
And yet I do love it. I like the flexibility. I like the calmness. I like the creativity.
It feels like it is just how it is supposed to be. Family movie night has become an educational experience. A trip to the Nutcracker ballet was preceded by a lesson plan and days of listening to Tchaikovsky. All four of my children enjoyed the Nutcracker in a way that they never would have had I not played them the music and read them the story in the days before we went. Almost everything has become a learning experience. All four of my children are the beneficiaries, not just the ones that I am homeschooling.
My relationship with Will has changed too. It is no longer about yelling at him to get up, yelling at him to get ready, yelling at him to get his work done and yelling at him to go to bed. I don't have to make dates and write it in the calendar to have some time with him. We spend each day together working at the kitchen table. I work at my paying job. He works at his school work. We hang together each day and all this hanging has made us closer. It's nice.
As my relationship with Will strengthened, my other kids have taken note. Just one month after Will started home schooling, social butterfly Elyse was begging to be home schooled too. At first I balked. There didn't seem to be a reason to home school her. Academically and socially she was thriving at the local public school. She continued to badger me..."Middle school girls are mean," she'd implore...."I spend half the day listening to my teachers tell the kids in the class to be quiet and pay attention," she'd whine. Neither reason was convincing but I finally realized there doesn't need to be a reason. It is enough that Elyse wants to do it, and it works with my job and our life style.
It has been a wonderful experience for Will and me and I assume it will be just as wonderful for me and Elyse. Besides, if it doesn't work out, the public school has to take her back. It's the law!
--
Posted By Kate to Thriving Despite Us at 1/07/2013 12:01:00 AM
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