Well, I find myself at a loss of words today so I wanted to post a question for everyone to be able to comment on.
What has been your biggest homeschool struggle? and what has been your biggest homeschool joy?
If you have found a way to manage your homeschool struggle, let us know.
Your words of wisdom may be just the answer someone else needed to hear.
Peace in your day!
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Probably my biggest homeschool struggle is making time for everything, including time for the boys each day to be able to develop a passion they may have. If I am organized and write up a plan, hour-by-hour, for each school day of that week, we usually have a better week. When I sit down with my calendar and fill in a separate chart with lesson times and commitments for M - F, and (here is the important part) I ACTUALLY FOLLOW IT, then we all feel better. I'm not as impatient, we're not rushing around, and we all seem to work better together. The part that we (I) get hung up on is when one of the boys hasn't finished his (for example) math by the time he's supposed to begin his science, then the rest of the school day is off. My husband and I have discussed starting and stopping on time (whether our son is finished or not) and having him finish any incomplete lesson work at the end of the day; this way our day stays on schedule and (hopefully) our son learns to pace his work reasonably. As I write this, I am wondering why I haven't been doing this for the past several weeks. Um, I don't know...I'll have to get back on track myself!
ReplyDeleteOk, now what is my biggest homeschool joy? It's simple, really. I LOVE spending each and every day with my boys, whether I've managed to stress myself out or not. Sometimes I walk out of the kitchen and stand there out of view and listen to them. They get along well and laugh a lot. This simple thing almost always makes me smile...it's all good. I am so very grateful.
I feel the heavy weight of responsibility for making sure they are well-rounded, well-educated, kind and compassionate adults when they grow up and I think of this almost daily. I need to get away from focusing on the big picture so much because this distorts my vision of what I need to do on a daily basis to ultimately meet those goals. I have, in the past, written goals for them for the year and refer to them occasionally throughout the year, and this has helped me. I need to get back to what I know works for us and stop trying other things that may or may not work.
These are my thoughts...good questions, Angela!
Pam
Pam,
ReplyDeleteWe must be on the same page in thoughts because I was just thinking this week of the times we had a detailed daily schedule like you described (hour by hour or half hour by half hour). We definately got more done like that! I think I remember having the same problem with the schedule as well. When we started running into the next subject time from the last. I think that can just be solved by playing around with the amount of time you assign to each subject or thing you are doing each day. If you make a schedule like that and notice you consistently need more time for x in your day, adjust the schedule for the next day or week accordingly. I think it is about being willing to play around with it to find a happy balance. The other thought in my mind is that when I have a tight schedule like that, I have to also learn to be flexable within it. Sometimes things pop up and invade your already "well thought out schedule". For me, that used to be a problem because I thought, "OH, I have to stick to this PERFECT schedule" and I would get a little stressed about it.
I think my plan is to get back to making this type of schedule but first put in my major priorities in the week and then for the extra times, maybe make a list of different things we could do with that time instead of limiting it to one thing, that way, I can be a bit more flexible and not stress if something different comes up.
Do you have a good template for this kind of schedule?
Thanks for posting this Pam!! It was a great thought.
Hi Angela,
ReplyDeleteYes, great thoughts from you, too. I do have a template on my Excel that I change from week-to-week. Again, this doesn't take much time but for some reason I haven't done it in a while. I'm going to work on that tomorrow and will follow it next week. I always put in on our fridge and then it's easy to see what's coming up. John has a tendency to check it when it's up...another good reason to return to this. I'll let you know how it's going!
Good idea about "scheduling" free times and having a corresponding list of things to do during that time. Perhaps it's a board game, a nature walk, going to the library, etc. I really like that idea. This may challenge the boys to finish their work so we can get on to our free time!
Hope you're having a good weekend!
Pam
What has been my biggest struggle? Self doubt and discouragement. Am I teaching my kids everything they will need to know? Would they have more friends if they went to school? Am I doing what is best for my kids or being selfish and homeschooling just because I want to?
ReplyDeleteMy greatest Joy? The togetherness we have gained as a family. My kids enjoy spending time together. We have our evenings free to spend time together without having to worry about homework, projects needing to be done. I love learning how each of my kids tick and the little things that make each of them special.
THanks for your insights. I appreciate your explorations in promoting creativity.
Sandy
Sandy,
ReplyDeleteI hear ya! Self doubt is my biggest struggle as well! I ask myself all those same questions. I am not sure what the answer is here but I do know that I believe that God put me into this calling and I know that my struggles have to do with my own growth through this journey. I am sure God put me into homeschooling as much for me as for the kids. God is more concerned with who we are becoming rather than what we are doing and homeschooling definately has me work on my character in many more ways than one. I think for myself, the times that I stuggle with my calling the most is when I don't feel that I am walking as close to Him as compared to when I do. When I feel closer to God, and make more time for Him, everything in my life seems to go well. When I don't, the darkness creeps in and that is when I start to question myself, what I am doing, how I am doing it, and the list goes on.
What I think I need to do is to find a way to stay connected to and trust the vine (God) and He will give me His strengh to make it through any doubts that could ever possibly pop into my mind.
My question is how do I do this on a consistent basis? Pray? Read the Bible for answers? What kinds of things do you all find helps you stay connected with God?
I definitely have self-doubt, too, only not as much as I used to, and for this I am thankful. I have my moments (and days), though!. I like how you put it, Angela, "God is more concerned with who we are becoming rather than what we are doing, and homeschooling definitely has me work on my character in many more ways than one." I totally agree. I also think more of being an example for my kids, too. What are they learning from me when we are late for something, or when I lose my patience? Am I being the example I want them to learn from? I hope I am, but this is a question that pops into my head from time-to-time...food for thought.
ReplyDeleteI pray, Angela! I leave the room, go somewhere quiet and alone, and 1) thank God for all my many blessings, and 2) ask him for help in whatever I am weak in at the moment. I take a very deep breath, and return to the room where my boys are.
Pam
Sorry, should have capitalized Him, in #2.
ReplyDeletePam