Read Part 1
HERE.
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| Ian: harassed by babies during math since 1st grade |
I really needed that little reminder this morning (although my kids have nearly doubled since then). I was up for HOURS last night with the baby pictured above (Lula, not Ian) after a very spirited discussion about the state of the house and our needed for better management around here with my dear husband. Plain and simple: sometimes homeschooling stinks. I live in a world where other women comment on the size of my family and wonder how I do it all. All of you who know me know that I
don't do it all and sometimes? I don't even try. Like during a third trimester. Or when I have a needy toddler. Or a teething baby. Or all three at once... and then that yellow school bus seems like a gift from above. Imagine: four kids leaving every morning and getting fed breakfast AND lunch. Another smaller bus coming and getting the 3yo for free preschool. All five coming home in the afternoon to a mom that cleaned house all morning, napped with her babies all afternoon, and knew exactly what was for dinner before sending dear husband and children off to evening activities. No sibling squabbles during the day, no toys being played with (except on weekends), no unfinished projects of any kind anywhere, no moving couches around looking for overdue library books. Massive space opened up in the house because homeschool materials are no longer needed. Someone else taking responsibility for their academic futures and standardized test scores-and getting paid for it! Sounds lovely.
Or does it?
This morning, I kept track of the little things that make the homeschooling worth the work (I tried to ignore the irritating things). Shane playing giant squid with Daniel before breakfast and then taking him outside to play after math. Lula snuggling up to Evie while she fills out her math sheet. Ian writing simple words for Fiona to read and then teaching her simple addition.
Our current homeschool doesn't usually look the way I imagined it way back when we first started. There are so many things that I wish were different. But if my imaginary school were real, my kids would not have a single drop of personality and have no mind of their own. They would be like little robots with no souls. That doesn't sound like fun at all.
Or does it? *wink*
