As the first year of my home school adventure draws to an end, I'm brought into a place of peace and reflection. I could worry about all the things we didn't get accomplished but a little voice inside me tells me to think about all that we did do. I've decided to make a list of the things that I, as a homeschooling mother, have learned personally from experience with the hope that it will inspire others that are called to the task. Keep in mind that I am just like everyone else. As a matter of fact, I'm that percentage of people that has had trouble with anxiety and depression all my life. I was one of those people that couldn't wait for my kids to be in school full time so I could have my "life" back. Truth is, God has restored my dreams of being the kind of Mom that I always wanted to be. No, I don't have superpowers, I have Jesus and He gets all the credit here because this really wasn't my idea.
1. The Continuum
There is a continuum in home-based education that stretches about as far as the east is from the west. Imagine a line that on one end of the continuum has a picture of your home converted into a school. The bell rings every morning as the children rush out of bed to get their breakfast. Next, you all say the flag salute together and start right away with whatever subject you've chosen. After that, you take turns reading aloud and maybe have a written assignment that is to be turned in promptly the next day. No talking during study time, break time is the same everyday so on and so forth. On the other end of the continuum you have a picture of a home that is just that, a regular home. You don't have textbooks and there are no written assignments. The children are completely responsible for choosing their own course of study and you, Mom, are just there for guidance and to answer any questions. You simply expose them to learning opportunity and let them decide. In between these two extremes you have all different ways. People told me the first year was going to be all about finding my way or "place" on the line. I fluctuated back and forth for the first half of the year before I started to settle somewhere in the middle.
2. Finding your way
Because there is no right way to home school, you really have to explore to figure out what your own style is. For me personally this was the hardest part. I'm a very spontaneous person at heart but I also needed the security of a schedule. We slid all over the continuum trying to find the best fit. I was so bored after two weeks of textbooks and written assignments that we went to the other extreme for a while and did nothing but cook and sew for a few weeks. The main thing to keep in mind is that there is no right or wrong way, it's all about trial and perseverance! What are you comfortable with? How are the kids responding? It takes time to find out what works and what doesn't. You may want to start the day with a textbook and end it with cooking a meal together or reading a bedtime story. Remember this; school is a noun, learning is a verb. If your child has learned something of value from your instruction, you will have succeeded in homeschooling.
3. Room to grow
This really should be number one. I don't know how it is in your house but I know in mine we hit growth spurts about every six weeks. It happens like clockwork, really, I can count on it. It starts with my oldest and trickles down the line. These are the times I treasure the most because they are real life lessons. You have to be willing to put everything on hold in order to cultivate these virtues in your children. The more time you spend with your child, the more aware you'll become of what kind of character qualities they're developing and how to nurture them. I can usually tell somethings going on when my girls start crying a lot. If they can't focus or seem emotionally supercharged, it's probably because there's something going on inside that needs to be looked at and worked through. Ask God to show you the virtue He's trying to pull out, then you'll know what to nurture. Don't miss out on these opportunities, they are worth more than gold!
4. Look for opportunities to learn in everyday life
This is my favorite part of our home school because there are countless opportunities in everyday life to learn something new. What an awesome world we have to explore! You can teach your kids about measurement while baking a cake and give them a science lesson while planting seeds in the garden together. Sorting socks in the laundry is a great math lesson for little ones who will learn about size and comparison! If you know you are going to the grocery store on a particular day, you could make a math lesson out of it and study percentages or use the produce scale. I've found this style to work great for my family because of the room it gives us in between studies to play. It's all about perspective and what works best for you.
5. Have fun
What's the point of having your kids at home if you aren't going to enjoy them? If someone would have asked you if you would have liked to have your childhood extended what would you have said? If you are called to the task of homeschooling your children, make the most of it! Make it fun! Homeschooling expands the boundaries of traditional education which means you can do whatever you want to do! Find out what your kids are interested in and study what they want to study. If they want to learn about bugs, spend the day with them collecting bugs and examining them with a magnifying glass. If they want to spend the day writing a song or writing poetry, allowing them that freedom helps them to explore interests and talents that they may not have had the chance to develop otherwise. Having fun with your kids makes them feel they have something positive and valuable to contribute.
6. Don't give up
Homeschooling is hard. Surrendering control and trusting God, is hard. I put this last on the list because it is perhaps the most important and I want you to remember. There are going to be days when nobody wants to listen, nobody cares about your fun ideas, the housework piles up, the dog gets sick, you get sick, your husband gets sick, your friend calls you and she's sick, ect. but don't give up. Whatever you do, don't give up! Remember that God gave you your children because there wasn't anyone else who was better fit to raise them than you. Your children were created unique, with gifts and talents that no one else on the planet has because they were specifically designed for your child. It is your priveledge and honor as their parent to nurture their interests, goals and dreams. Ask yourself, "Am I giving my children the best of me or what's left of me?" Even if they go to public school, how are you treating them when they come home? Are you taking the opportunity to nurture their interests? Do you even know what their interests are? What do they dream about? These are all questions we need to ask and then get involved. It's never to late to become the parent God created you to be.
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