When I first heard about homeschooling, we had 2 children as opposed to the almost 7 we have now. I think our oldest was not quite in Kindergarten. Life was definitely different. I never did think it was crazy or weird, as some do, because I always had a longing to get out of the workforce and be at home with my babies. When that longing finally became a reality 5 years ago, I had just given birth to our 4th child.
At this point, my husband and I decided if we could ever make it work on one income we would pull our kids out of school and bring them home. That is exactly what we did. I wasn't completely ignorant to what homeschooling required because I had been exposed to it through several friends that had already been homeschooling for years. But, like any good thing, I had my idea of what it would be like, and then there is the reality of it.
Child Craft Crib
I naively envisioned:
Children gathered around my side reading together for hours. Craft and art projects that would make Martha Stewart green with envy. Brilliant children that would far surpass all of their public school peers. A clean house with the smell of homemade goodies for snacks. My children would be best friends, and nary the unkind work would be uttered between them. My husband singing my good graces to everyone he met, and my children adoring and honoring me at every turn. The center of all of this domestic bliss, of course, would be me.
What I have found over the past five years, is that far from being the center of all of this domestic bliss, I am often the cause for household strife. It is true. I am at the center. I set the tone, as my husband is fond of reminding me. What I didn't realize when I set out on this path called homeschooling, is that I was the one who would get schooled and needed it the most.
When I worked full-time at the corporate level conducting management training and investigations in a human resource capacity, I thought homeschooling would be a breeze comparatively. But in the corporate world, there are places to hide - like behind polices and procedures. There are places to escape - like the break room or home, for goodness' sake. If you mess up, you may receive a warning or some form of corrective action. If your employees mess up, there is a policy and procedure manual that tells us step by step how to deal with every possible situation. I should know: I helped write it. But with parenting - and particularly homeschooling - there is no manual. There are no warnings or corrective action where your boss tells you how to fix the problem. Nope - it is all you.
I began to discover that all of the things that I struggled with: patience, kindness, selfishness, self-control, anger, etc. - were the things that I was dealing with most. I thought this was supposed to be about the "Three R's," or even about developing my kids' character. The truth is that those things are part of it. But the schooling doesn't stop at the children. How can I expect my children to have exemplary character, if I show them daily my own lack? How will my children learn how to be diligent in completing their schoolwork in a timely manner, if I can't stop wasting all my time on Facebook? How will my children learn to make peace with each other if I am constantly arguing with them?
For us, homeschooling isn't taken on a day-to-day basis or year-to-year basis. It is part of life. It may be one of the hardest parts of life, because I am faced to see myself and all my weaknesses reflected back to me in the eyes of my children every single day. It would be much easier to shuffle them off every morning to an expert who will fill their heads but not their hearts, and never have to deal with the parts of me that need to be dealt with. Yes, after five years of homeschooling (and at this point, about 17 more to go) I can honestly say that I was right and so was my husband: I am the center and I do set the tone. That just doesn't look the same way that it did in my imagination. The lessons I have learned from homeschooling start with an examination of my own heart. Only then am I capable of teaching my children the lessons they need to learn.
Christmas Sales Stork Craft Beatrice 4 Drawer Chest, Cherry 201
Dec 08, 2011 12:17:13
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Christmas Sales Stork Craft Beatrice 4 Drawer Chest, Cherry Feature
- Made of solid wood and wood products
- Easy assembly using cam-lock construction
- Steel drawer glides with safety stop
- Round wooden pulls
- Durable non-toxic finish, tipping restraint included
Christmas Sales Stork Craft Beatrice 4 Drawer Chest, Cherry Overview
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