So most people get real happy when it's time for kids to go back to school. However, as a home school mom this isn't exactly my emotion attached to starting a new school year. Aaron is in the 6th grade and to think that I have been in this home school mindset for 7 years now makes me wonder just why am I not any better at it, or why don't I enjoy it any more then I do. Why do I still have the same daily frustrations with Aaron. Why why why why why???. Home schooling for me is not a way of life. Now I know many of you home school moms are probably getting ready to throw a tomato at my head right about now for saying what you would consider such blasphemy. Well home schooling is simple the way I chose or better yet the way God has chosen for now, for me to educate my son. Trust me each year I beg Him to allow me to stop and so far the answer has been "No persevere". I do not subscribe to a one way, one mindset of education. O O there it is again "outlandish" statement that no good christian home school mom would ever say, at least not out loud. There is very little I like about homeschooling. But for my current state of ranting allow me to list the things I enjoy then I will get to the good stuff what I don't enjoy.
1. I love the freedom it gives us as a family - days on days off.
2. I like that my son can work at his level and speed.
3. I like that I can let Aaron sleep until 9am if I want so that I have more time with my Jesus.
4. I like that there will be a day that I will look back and just maybe see that I have grown as a person because of it.
5. I like kickin it in PJ's as long as we want.
6. I LOVE the organization of it. I could write lesson plans for days. If the success of my home school life was based on my ability to organize and do lesson plans then O I so have you all beat. But as we know it's the execution of the lesson plans that matter - - UUGGHHH! good grief!
What I do not like:
1. The daily battle that I endure from my son who despises learning.
2. The frustration I get when I just can't help him understand something.
3. That there are days that Aaron finds it better to fight me for 3-5 hours for something simple then to just do the 20min. exercise.
3. I really do not enjoy teaching so therefore it makes the daily life of homeschooling an act of obedience for me.
4. That somehow in this home school world most mom's think there is one way and one way only to do this and apparently they have the answer and everyone else is wrong and they find great pleasure in talking about that. Never does it cross their mind that they are the very source of much division in the christian community. I sit back and if it wasn't so pain staking sad I would be amused. Okay I didn't tell the truth I am still slightly amused. It is sad though that they can't see the division they bring about, all in the name of education.
5. There are actually home school groups out there that if you do not file your own affidavit or belong to certain Christian ISP's you are not welcomed to join their group. And in some cases they won't even allow their kids to associate with your kid. WOW - now they would never say it as blunt as I have but we all know it is very much the truth.
So school is in and I'm in it for yet another year. How I wish I enjoyed it like so many of my friends. But so far that is not my story. At our church we have a home school group. It is very large and we do allow all facets of homeschooling families to join. I actually sit on the leadership board for the time been for the main purpose of doing everything I can to fight against the division that this home school world so produces. We are pioneering a different way of looking at it and prayerfully we are breaking down walls but I can assure you it has come at such a cost and when it comes down to it most really don't see that the division is a problem. I do and I know my Lord does to. So there is my rant after 1 complete week of being back to school. How ever let me say that this first week did go better than I expected and for that I am grateful to the Lord for giving me extra help this week.
I suppose it's possible that some may read this and find it offensive. I pray not. Maybe my delivery is raw but it is 100% how I believe.
4 comments:
Raw, nah..Heart warming, nope...Completely honest, YES. I know how you feel; amazingly I thought at first oh no, here’s another rant about how to do homeschool right. You’d be surprised how many would love to say what you just did but can’t for sake of losing those personal invitation only groups.
Reason’s like what you just gave is why I’m thankful God guides us in our decisions.
I am so very thankful for S~s Christian school! I love that the Lord chooses differently for every family. Oh, that we may be mindful of our own pride (thinking our way is the best way; or the only way). I think we, as parents, would do well to focus on how to demonstrate Jesus in our homes for the time we have with our children!
Proud of you, girl, for obeying God in this area!
Ha Ha! I second every word of that my friend! I am a homeschool mom as well and well, homeschooling for me is totally obedience! And yes God keeps telling me the same thing "persevere". So I can totally relate! Homeschool for us has its days, but like you, I know God has bigger and better plans, and I know this is the best way for us. Thanks for sharing, at least now I know I'm not alone. LOL.
Very nicely put. I have homeschooled and now my kids are in a Charter School and they are right where God wants them with mommy working at the school right close to them. I am not saying I will never homeschool again because I believe I will in the future but for now they are where God wants them. (I must say though I am jealous of the time all my friends spend together co-oping they seem to have so much fun) my day will come but for now Charter School it is. Right now we are being a light in a dark place.
Post a Comment