What I love about homeschooling …

I feel a little unqualified writing a post about homeschooling because I am NOT a fantastic homeschooling mom!!  I read blogs where homeschooling moms are incredibly creative and their children wake up bright and early and they just love being educated at home soooo much that they start on their school work without any prompting!   I think that is amazing but I cannot say that is what goes on in our home!  Yesterday we had a great day of home educating but it is not always so smooth.   I have friends whom homeschooling is their passion.  I have been envious of that on more occasions than I care to admit.   I am not a good teacher – I do not like teaching.   ( There is the honest truth! )   I took a lengthy spiritual gift test once and my highest score was in mercy and my lowest was teaching.   But, with the realization of my short comings, is the fact that I LOVE my children.  I am devoted to them.  I pray for them.  I strive daily to set them up for success.  I protect them to the best of my ability even though I may be labeled as “highly over protective”.   My children are nothing short of miracles, handed to me by God, and I am committed to do right by them.   So, although homeschooling started out as something I did out of necessity being that we are living Internationally, it has turned into a conviction.  Why?  Certainly NOT because of what a fantastic, wonderful teacher I am!     It is because of Who God is and the 3 blessings He has called me to be mommy to.  It is because of the little people I am to invest in and train.  But, I realize that homeschooling is not for everyone as I am so thankful for what I gained by attending  a Christian school.  It wasn’t perfect but it was better than the public school I had gone to.    So,  it is with humility I tell you what I love about homeschooling.

Pretending to be “Fancy Nancy” going to school after she just had a tea party in Paris …

creative minds …

instilling correct grammar and spelling skills …

And this is the reality picture:  complete silliness.  Often times I will say “Enough is Enough!!” and separate the three because they feed off of each others jokes and giggles and silliness.  There have been more times than I can count when I have tried desperately to be firm with them about their silliness during school only to completely give in with my own uncontrollable laughter.   And then the kids are separated. 

baking lessons …

love teaching my son how to cook and bake – he made chili by himself last week … love teaching fractions in the kitchen, too..

bubble baths at noon …

siblings learning to be best friends ( as it should be! ) …

night school …  the beauty of homeschooling is that I am free to relate to my child’s style of learning.  Sarah does much better in the evenings with her phonics than in the morning.  So, we will pop some popcorn and snuggle in and do her phonics curriculum before bed.   And, that is Samuel behind me trying to secretly throw popcorn on the top of my head. 

I am NOT making my child iron clothes – you ask her what she wants to do when she grows up and she says “iron for real” – so, I have been letting her iron for real with the iron set at a low setting.  I love teaching my children how to do things around the house.

morning walks in the Botanical Garden …

how can I not be in love with this one??  …  ( Poor Rosebud?? )

and this one?? …

and this one??

While homeschooling is not my highest passion,  people are.  My children are the littlest people in my life.  I struggle with selfishness throughout our homeschooling days because there are things that I much rather be doing.  I miss the days in Brazil when my kids were 3 and under and I spent my days making visits to needy people, bringing them food and milk, cradling a baby just born to a 13 year old girl, helping to rescue those in true need.  That is my ultimate passion – and my heart beats just a little faster as I remember what we were able to do in Brazil.   But, here I am in a new chapter of my life and my kids are in a new chapter, too.  Elementary school.  Learning ABC’s and 1,2.3’s.  And I am learning to be content and rise up to what I need to do for them.       God’s blessings on you and yours, I pray.