Day Four: Teach Them Diligently

The kettle boils and I walk with my tea to the laundry room where I fold a load. The phone rings and although I've made a resolution not to answer after 8:30 a.m., I pick it up anyway. The person on the other end is crying and I'm drawn in and the kids are taking turns riding by me on the Lil Tykes grocery cart. I'm calling to them to quiet down. I cover the phone and blast them through a huge breath, "Shouldn't you be doing your math?" I have a knot in my gut as I'm pulled in two different directions. That nagging, guilty feeling rises upward, suffocating me and I realize this has happened a couple of days in a row... and, I hadn't met with the Lord that morning either--tell-tale signs of that one happening all over the place.

By lunchtime, there are still two kids in pyjamas and one can't find her spelling book. I'm losing my patience and that friend on the phone--well, she's on her way over for more support. I'm bustling around tidying up and promising myself tomorrow will be better.

  

By evening, I've gotten angry that I have to make dinner early as we have weekly obligations to run to and as I lay my head on my pillow that night, I cry. I turn my face into my pillow and beg God to reveal what went wrong. One thing about a prayer like that is, if we're open, He answers quickly. I quietly weep and He gently shows me where I went astray. Not that spontaneity, as I shared about yesterday was the problem, not that dropping everything for a friend in need was either, but it was the deference from my goals and ground rules that stole my peace and joy. 

 

I've been at this home educating thing long enough to know exactly what my children need, what I need and how to make things flow smoothly in our home. Children love boundaries, they love schedules and routine and they flourish in predictable days. They also love spontaneous moms who are flexible and not so tied to rules and schedules that they can't break them... once in awhile. With this knowledge, I set goals for myself and for them at the beginning of each year. I write up schedules for each of them and ask my husband, a couple close friends and sisters to hold me accountable. But when I don't want to leave the warmth of my bed or have my feet to hit the cold floor early in the morning, when I don't meet with the One who encourages me, speaks to me and sends me lovingly into my day, I might flounder.

 

  

 

When I look back over the years, I can see the mercy of God, despite the odd bad day. My children are all reading, they can quote Scripture and poetry. They're all moving forward in math at a good pace. They have a love for books and being read to. My openness about my day to day struggle to get myself and my children motivated is not to put myself down or to give the impression that every day is a failure. Instead, my desire is to encourage homeschool parents that although we all have less than productive days, our children will learn as we work to correct and change those moments into life lessons, apologies and the catalyst to get "back in the saddle" without delay.

So, what does a great day look like around here? Mommy gets up early, communes with her Creator, realizes she can't do it alone, throws a load of laundry in, cracks some eggs in a pan, hugs each child as they wake, encourages them in their chores, and meets them in the school area to begin on time. Ah, the good life! Every one of us loves a day that begins as such. Even when Oliver doesn't want to read another page, when Molly wants to finish her art instead of begin history, when Emily would rather wrestle with Oliver, when Meghan is dying to FaceTime a friend, I can rally them and bring them back into focus quickly because we began well. Children really do want to be smart, they want to succeed and they are often happy to please when they understand what it's all for in the first place. I can offer them a good education when I'm prepared and I have begun well myself. 

If you nod your head with me that you also have moments (or full days) when things just don't go the way you'd planned, might I be the inspiration to keep you diligent? Let's stay focused and teach them well in 2014!

 

Day Three: Be Spontaneous

There is a fine line between being spontaneous and being an escapist--I have erased this line at times. But, for now, I'll share about partaking in a spontaneity that, if not pursued, would rob your family of wonderful experiences. While sifting through my photos, I found several trips that were offered last minute to my children and I and I grabbed them and have no regrets. These are the things laughter and inside jokes are made of and my children still talk about them today. These are the things that set homeschooling apart from traditional school and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to run with them. 

 Mama came across this little Alpaca farm a couple of years ago and off we went to make new friends and have a lesson in how they are sheered and their soft hair used for spinning and knitting.

Auntie Annie called us over for a lesson in heart monitoring and taking blood work.

An impromptu visit to the Butterfly Conservatory is always a favourite! 

The inspiration to give our Monarchs oranges came from here (and so did our Monarchs :) 

There's always something new to learn. 

Simple trips down the road to the frog pond are just as satisfying and educational.

 

Sometimes the idea arrives by way of a friend or family member and sometimes it's kid-driven. Either way, I try to be open to spontaneity in our homeschooling, without taking off at every whim. This is where good discernment comes into play. But don't forget, discovering God's world "out there" is often more rewarding than learning about the same things in books.

 

(Tomorrow I will share about diligence and staying home :)

Day Two: Nature Walks

It's the way we roll around here, nature walks are our thing. Even before I read about how Charlotte Mason was a huge advocate, I loved watching my children discover God through His creation. Anne of Green Gables said it best when the woman who adopted her didn't share her enthusiasm for the beauty of nature, "Oh Marilla, how much you miss."

Mama loves being involved in our homeschooling adventures.

She begs to come along!

Cousins always make backyard discoveries fun--and on that note, cousins' backyards are always more exciting than your own, aren't they?

 

If you peruse this blog, you'll find countless posts of nature walks, some that include geocaching, some that include nature notebooking, some that are for collecting objects for science projects, and some that are for exercise, plain and simple. Whatever the reason, nature walks are the best way to enjoy recess, gym time, a reward for diligence, or a way to run off pent-up anger that is spilling over into sibling squabbles :)

 

Now that we have a highschooler, who is very serious about her schedule, our nature walks are often just the three younger children and me. Sometimes, Meghan feels like she's missing out and sometimes she's thankful the restless natives have left the building! Because of the amount of hiking we do, there are often times when someone scrapes a knee or another is tired and whines to turn back, but mostly, we return home a little more knowledgeable about creation and brimming with new birds to look up online or things to draw.

 

I encourage you to expand your nature walks to include nature notebooking, even in winter, and I will too as I write about homeschooling this month. (Since Daddy is off work for a few more days, we will officially begin school next Monday but I will continue to share about how we home educate before you catch us in action for 2014). 

A New Year and 31 Days of Homeschooling Goodness

Happy New Year!

Day One

 

On this first wonderful, blank-slate day of January, I would like to dedicate it to the Lord and His purposes. As our Pastor Fraz mentioned last Sunday, we had everything we needed in 2013 to live our lives for God. It doesn't mean we received everything we desired, but we had all we required to live in the place He planted us at that time in our lives. Jesus is what we needed and as He lives in us through His Spirit, He enables us to accomplish what we must. All I lack is found complete in Him. And so, in 2014, I pray that as I homeschool, mother, work, and love those around me, I will do it all for His glory and by His power in me.

I will begin by stating that while we are in our eighth year of homeschooling, we are by no means perfect at this educational thing. I taught in private Christian schools before I became a mommy but as I journeyed through home education, I have felt extremely inadequate for this position many, many days and it has, at times, been more difficult to teach my own four than a classroom full of other people's children! I found that my girlfriends and sisters were doing a much better job in some areas than I was. I noticed they didn't have the same perfectionist hope to recreate a classroom environment and that made a world of difference. Snuggling with their kiddos on the couch or gathering around the kitchen table was all that was necessary for good teaching and togetherness. I hope this encourages anyone who is considering homeschooling and feeling like they are not "cut out for the job". It's simply not true. If you are a parent and you have a desire, or at least a nudging toward homeschooling, the Lord has equipped you with the love, patience, self-control and everything else you need to succeed in the adventure! Mostly, because He is the answer if we rely on Him throughout the year. Yes, there are mistakes that can be made but I can tell you honestly, as a certified teacher, I (and my colleagues) were making plenty of them at school as well. No one is perfect, but I'm convinced now more than ever that a mother who loves her children and desires to train and educate them well, will succeed. There are so many resources, groups, co-ops, field trips, conventions, seminars, websites, etc. for homeschoolers, so a great support system is available to you.

In the past seven to eight years, our family has experienced a closeness that I am so thankful for. My children call out, "I love you!" to each other from their bedrooms many nights, even if they encountered conflict that day. However, since we are together for all hours of the day, the sins that we struggled with while the oldest two were in traditional school are magnified at home. Some days, impatience and frustration, laziness and whining can be the biggest things we're dealing with. There have been several days in our schooling time span when I wondered why I ever decided to embark on this path. But, the benefits always outweigh the negatives and when all is calm and I look around the room at my (finally) diligent workers, I sigh relief and remember that I am blessed to teach my children and they truly are learning to love deeply, resolve arguments and study independently. Not to mention, some of that laziness and whining can be mine :)

I will do my best to post our everyday life this month, which will mostly be accountability for me, and I love to have somewhere to leave my thoughts at the end of the day. I hope that as my children look back on this blog (I print it in hardcover through Blog2Print), that they will smile at the memories, even the reminders of some honest and difficult moments that God walked us through. For those who are not homeschoolers, or planning to join this growing educational movement, I hope you'll enjoy the posts anyway :)

May you understand fully what God has called you to do in 2014 and may you feel encouraged that you have all you need to accomplish it in Him!

 

Here are some "old" photos from the beginning of our homeschooling journey. As I gaze at them, I'm taken back to some tough times and some beautiful triumphs. I'm grateful for both.

 

1486. biggers helping littles

 

1487. the beauty of having a newly-turned two-year old and a newborn

 

1488. how Great-Mama always joined us for our homeschooling adventures

1489. how observing mommy nursing had it's effects :)

  

1490. how my sister's farm gave them so much scope for the imagination and a joy for working

 

1491. so much painting happened in the school room--even though it was messy!

 

1492. how reading to siblings always melted my heart

 

1493. the way they made their "home" in snowbanks

1494. for Florida trips and how we weren't tied to a schedule to return

 

1495. and how they brought us all closer

 

1496. for dear friends who ended up homeschooling!

 

1497. how these four became my favourite students

 

1498. how little girls learned how to "mother" while at home longer hours

 

1499. special rides as a reward on Auntie Hilary's horse after working on a project together

 

1500. schooling at friends' homes in their schoolroom!

 

1501. being inspired by the differences between families

 

1502. learning about endangered animals up close and personal where they're being rescued

  

1503. these two and how they've always stayed close

 

1504. recess and how it can be as long as we want (with hot chocolate later)

   

1505. visiting our neighbour's horses each day

 

1506. for animal mommas who also love their babies

 

1507. listening to toddler talk when baby is down for a nap

 

1508. all day snuggles I don't have to miss

 

1509. how so much changed when he came along and how we couldn't imagine life without him

1510. for three little mommies (they still are)  

 

1511. for a boy and how he made me re-think my homeschooling as he grew

1512. how breast-feeding one and putting another in time-out while teaching was tricky (and I cried a lot)... but so worth it in the long run!

1513. how somehow we got the notion from God that this was the path we were to take and how He's blessed it even when I've messed it up many days! Grace!