Frustrations of a first-year homeschooler

I had grand plans.

Plans of documenting our exciting first year of homeschooling.

Let’s just say things have not gone quite as planned…

The excitement that everyone (me included) had in our first weeks of school has settled and reality (very quickly) set in. We (mostly me) don’t wake up very early and don’t really begin to function (well) until between 9:30 and 10:00. That in itself would be okay… if we could stay on task.

A roller-coaster is a very good analogy to how our journey is going. Peaks. Valleys. Some loops. Out-of-control spirals… you get the picture.

We’ve made some curriculum changes. They’re helping. Now if only consistency would settle upon us.

Most days we’re so wrapped up in slogging through the “necessities” (math, phonics, handwriting, grammar) that we never get to the FUN stuff (history, science, ART). I’ve purposed to begin our day in the Word and prayer. I read the daily Proverb and choose one verse to read and explain to the kidlets before a prayer to kick off our studies.

I have to admit that I just don’t always have the brightest of attitudes when I do it and it rubs off on to them.

There have even been days in the past month that I have dreamed of re-registering them to the local public school… the bus stop is just feet from our front door.

I am so thankful for the gift that God has given me in a steady man as my husband. The Lord has given him just the right words for me at all the right times.

I’m also thankful for the many women I am surrounded by that are walking the same rocky path. Choosing to educate their children, even when it isn’t fun or easy. Thankful for the hugs, words of encouragement, and nods of understanding that they’ve shared as they welcomed me into this sorority. Apparently you aren’t a REAL homeschool mom until you threaten to drive the kids to school. I guess I’ve crossed over. 😉

October was HARD. However, now that we’re so near the end I can see that this is EXACTLY where God wants me right now. He’s teaching me through teaching my children. They aren’t always lessons I’m willing to sit through, just as my kids don’t always want to hear what I have to say. But we’re all going to come out better for it!