I am homeschooling my son and most of the time it is wonderful. We stay very busy running here and there so he can be with other children. Even still, at times, there is some isolation and I wonder if it is the ideal choice for him? Which is better: public school or homeschool? [Read more…]
We are so busy as moms! It isn’t possible to do all that our children ask us to do. I heard this heart-stirring poem when I had 3 little rambunctious boys —Daniel (5), Mark (1) and Nathan (3)—that kept me busy morning ’til night. It made me want to slow down and listen to their little requests to “look at me, Mom!” It made me want to read the stories and play with them more. Now that my sons are grown, I have discovered how true this poem is! Take a moment right now, if you can, and “do the little things he asks you to”. You won’t regret it! [Read more…]
Louisa was good-and-mad at me (and probably at herself, too). So, I did the unnatural thing: I assigned dishwashing duty to her. At first the pots and pans were being banged around and she was sulky, upset, and sure she was mistreated. Surprisingly, 10 minutes later she was humming happily.
“First we have a relationship, then we have an educational method.” —Karen Andreola
And so it is. As homeschool moms, we sometimes get involved trying to figure out what philosophy to follow, what type of teaching we should do, or what curriculum we should select. We eagerly read books, buy curriculum, and “try on” educational methods as if we were shoe shopping. But no “shoe” fits until we have established a warm, loving relationship. No method can make up for a strained relationship with your child, your student. Until the relationship is working right, the educational approach doesn’t really matter very much at all.
“Pick up your shoes”
“Don’t slam the door”
“Why are you late?”
“Didn’t you remember to _______?”
You’re BUSTED!
My son Daniel and his little girls
We don’t live just for ourselves. If our beliefs and values that we hold so dearly only enrich our own lives, it is not enough. Many of us are passionate about homeschooling because of the realization that our lives are only a brief moment and what we pass on to the next generation may possibly live forever in the lives of our descendants, generation by generation. If we really believe in something, we want to pass it on!
The usefulness of reading charts and library games has always escaped me. “You get a prize for reading 6 books” sounds about the same to me as getting a prize for every 6 brownies I eat. Who needs motivation? Reading is delicious!
