Call me the unexpected homeschooler.
I knew many homeschooling families. Moms who had 6 or 7 kids, joyfully at home all day. I thought, “Thats nice, but I never have the patience to do that!” Honestly, I may have also thought that they were a little crazy. I always chuckle when I speak to someone about homeschooling and they say, “Oh, I just don’t have the patience!”
An unexpected turn
Fast forward several years. I just had baby #3 and working as a middle school teacher. My mother was living with us and taking care of the kids and our home was a train wreck! I returned from school after Christmas break and in one day, I decided to be one of those stay at home moms. That same day, I did some calculations, figured out what we needed to do to pay off debt so we could live off of one income and told my husband the plan. He probably fell out of his chair when I told him I wanted to stay home! He actually wanted me to stay home with the kids, but knew better than to ask me to take on something that big!
My first year
Tears. Wailing. Gnashing of teeth.
That’s all. First year summed up.
When my son was about four years old, I began homeschooling him. He had already been kicked out of Montessori school and I knew that if I sent hm to public school, I was looking forward to calls everyday with pleads to put my kid on Ritalin. Montessori school taught him to read so I knew he would be bored in school.
I’m always a “Debby Downer” to those bright-eyed, optimistic soon-to-be homeschool moms! I tell them it may be horrible, but they need to dig in their heels and get through that first year. Homeschooling is an adjustment for both mom and kid and it takes some time to get use to it. In homeschooling your sin nature comes out. Your kid’s sin nature comes out too.
It gets easier
Fast forward ten years and 4 more kiddos and a variety of tried activities later, we have our groove in homeschooling. Here is what a typical day looks like (kids grades prek, 4th, 6th, 7th, 10th):
Morning: Wake up, read bible, complete chores
Mid Morning: Math, Spelling, English/Writing at the kitchen table, history (on computer), Spanish lessons via Zoom 2x per week.
Afternoon/Evenings: Chores, Work on a skills, Reading with younger kids, TaeKwonDo classes
Weekly activities: Monday: Choir, Tuesday: Co-op, Wednesday: Chess Club