I'm not giving in to:
laziness and selfishness
thinking someone else should teach my child to read
my 9 year old son being extremely uncooperative during school time
The kids need socialization
I need a break
Is public school really so bad here?
People telling me to send them to school (I know it is all well meaning and comes from love.)
Convictions waning
These are real issues and I need to address them, just not let them defeat me. So what am I going to do about these real issues I (we) have. Well my list is a little turned upside down because the first and most important issue really is my conviction to homeschool. That is what all these other problems hinge on. So how do I fix this? By revisiting my reasons in the first place.
Convictions Waning: I am battling this two fold by prayer and reading.
Pray Pray Pray then Read Read Read then Pray Pray Pray
What am I reading:
The Bible
Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell (for the 2nd time)
Simplify Your Homeschool Day by Tamara L. Chilver
How to Avoid Homeschool Burnout by Renee Ellison
My next purchase will be
There are also great listening resources at www.bluebehemoth.com
What are my convictions to homeschool then?
1. That seeking wisdom and knowledge are not separate from God and in fact begin and end with him. Public school will not do this for my children so I should.
2. I think that there is no better place for my children then with family.
3. Homeschool builds a closer family. I never knew my children the way I do now after a year of homeschooling. (Isn't that reason enough to homeschool?)
4. It adds so much more to my life as a mother then just physical care of cooking and cleaning. During my day I teach from Kindergarten to 7th grade and I also work as proof reader for my husbands college papers that are usually about law and politics. Let's just say my mind has to stay engaged during the day!
5. When you ask my 5 year old what she wants to be when she grows up she says "a mommy teacher."
And the list goes on......
I will address the other issues in next posts. If anyone out there has other books that might help my journey please post a comment.
Today I'm linking to :
Hi Laura!
ReplyDeleteI have been homeschooling since 1996. My oldest is 22, then 15, 13, and 11.
I remember having the feelings you expressed. My oldest was very strong willed. If I hadn't had a homeschool moms' support group, I don't think I would have made it. We met monthly. I went each month to get the courage and conviction to do it one more month!
It's been so worth it. My kids do have socialization. I'm raising them to be adults, not teenagers. They're so much more responsible and mature than many school children their ages.
You have the right reasons. You have God. You can do this.
I'd love to share the reasons I homeschool. Here is a post I wrote recently:
http://www.harvestlanecottage.blogspot.com/2013/07/why-we-homeschool.html
I'm so glad you dropped by Harvest Lane Cottage. I hope we'll become blog friends.
Sincerely,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage.
Thank you for the encouragement. I was just graduating high school in 1996 and the thought of homeschooling wasn't even on the horizon. Its so nice to know this is not a new struggle and that this can be done. I read your post on why you homeschool and I agree with them all! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteWonderful!!! Good for you! Some days are truly rough and it seems to much easier to just send our children to state-run schools...but it is definitely *not* the best and God-honoring way to go! I am so glad you are sticking with it! May God bless you through this next year and I pray it goes well for you!
ReplyDeleteWarmly,
Katy