We all need to find our own niche and our own lives in life. That includes our individual homeschools. Homeschools take on a personality of their own according to the family, the parent, teaching style and each child. It is fine to look at what everyone else is doing and how they do it, but when it comes down to it, we need to be true to our own lives and know that we are on the right track.
When we homeschool our children for our children, instead of a standard we have to meet, it makes it a joy for them to learn and also takes a great burden off to "keep up with the Joneses". We should never do that. Yes, we can look at what so-n-so is doing. We should listen and learn from each other and especially those with more experience, but we should never trade someone else’s experience for the direction we need to take in our own homeschool.
We all have great days and we all have "those other days." Do not despair. We have all been there. We have. Everyone had to start at the beginning. It doesn’t matter if your beginning was in KGrade, with 5 children or with 1 in High School. You had to have a 1st day and 1st year of homeschool, just like everyone else.
We also all go through times of wondering if we are teaching *everything we need to*. Is my child really learning? Are we ahead of the ps or behind? Should I use this curriculum or that? There are times when we feel like we can’t go on; we have lost our fervor, and we just don’t know what to do next. There are also times when things are just right, working out well and everyone is happy-happy.
We still have to look at our children and see *them*. We don’t see children we have to homeschool and get this lesson or that task accomplished with, but our child. You know, the one who mixed the brown paint in with the yellow? Or maybe the one who isn’t quite ready to read, when even the younger sibling has already taken to it so well? The aspiring writer. Or artist. That little scientist who mixed the last of your flour in with the vinegar. Or the little 2yo mechanic who can’t stop taking things apart and leaving them out. Yes, our children. God love ‘em, as my grandpa used to say.
We want the best for them. We want to teach them what they need to know. We want them to enjoy not only learning, but their childhood. We can do that. As you are searching for curriculum and making up plans for this next year, slow down. Look at your child. Listen to him. Listen to the Lord. Let God lead you in your homeschool. Do not try to keep up with anyone else. Keep up with *your* homeschool. Make goals and plans for *your* homeschool, for each of your own children and follow them as closely as learning will allow. Don’t break your children to follow the plans. Let the plans lead the child and follow his learning bent at the same time.
You can do it. We have all been there, and we will continue to succeed and fail at different times and in different areas of our lives. Homeschooling is just one of those areas!
blessings! -Jacque
•Some Pregnancy Info and Links
•A Little Bit of Gardening Humor; a Little Bit of Politics
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I just found you through the home school carnival. As a first time homeschooler, these words make me relax and enjoy the time. I just wondered last night if I was doing enough. Thanks again. I will be back!
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This is good stuff. Seeking the Lord for direction in every area of our lives is so important.
So often we forget. -
Thank you for these encouraging words… especially coming from a mother of eight blessings!!!
May I link to this entry?
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We also get in on lots of Library sales when they have dime and quarter books they'd ordinarily throw out. We also have a friend that works there so we get a head's up on those sales…make friends with the Library workers! LOL. Also, the picture of little Lucy is just soooo beautiful, I think she favors Jocelyn a whole lot!
Nancy -
Hello, and thanks for that post! I have only been homeschooling for about 2 yrs…We had lots of trial and error but I knew that no matter what my daughter would NEVER come home from ps crying over being bullied and taunted because she was slower at learning than other kids. I never could afford to use a "curriculum" per se, but I had tons of books myself and lots of mothers from the local co-op gave me books they had collecting dust and we still get lots of free resources on the internet…the Hands and Hearts thing and the Seterra Geography program are sooo much fun to do. The best thing is: I get to learn something new everyday too which I love tremendously!
Thanks,
Nancy -
Great reminder. We must always remember that curriculum is the servant, not the master.
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Thank you for your wise encouragement! It is a reminder that I often need throughout the year… especially at the end of the year when I look back and see the parts of the plan that never came to fruition.
Yes, the are MY children and are like no one else!
I am blessed.
Marsha
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Wow Jacque you timed that blog post just right as yesterday I wrote a letter to the principal of the school where 2 of my boys would have been attending this fall, letting him know of intent to homeschool. Boy am I nervous! I'll just deep breathe and take it one day at a time.
In Him,
Beth
http://blessedmomof4boys.blogspot.com/ -
Very well put, I have just begun to learn that this year and it has been the best year we've had so far.
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Jacque Dixon
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