Thursday, August 9---If I had only known...
What have you learned on your homeschooling journey? What would you/did you change? This is an opportunity to encourage others who are just starting out or who are struggling with issues that seem unsolvable. It is also a perfect opportunity to tell us about one of those days made you want to throw in the towel. A funny story? Perfect!
After reading several other blog entries in this series I think RELAX and ENJOY stands out as two philosophies I wish I could have more easily and readily embraced. When I was homeschooling Ian in Canada I think I did embrace this. We would be outdoors (when it wasn't raining) a lot, taking advantage of the breathtaking northwest. I haven't done a lot of that in recent homeschooling days. And I miss that.
Pondering this question further I really don't have many regrets. I have said in an earlier post I would have probably placed Aidan (my July baby) in school later and perhaps pushed more to homeschool my oldest while in high school (he's in public school right now).
I am just learning about classical education. I wish I knew about it earlier and would have integrated it into our lives. And finally, I would have unplugged the TV a lot earlier. We have become too dependent on it so that when our minds say, "I'm bored" our first reaction is, "Turn on the tube" We are weaning ourselves but still in the state of "I wish there was TV."
Something I regret seem impossible to avoid. What sticks in my mind is comparing kids to each other. Ian picked up reading at 5, Emma at 7 and Aidan at 10. They are all different and I have to teach to that, not expecting a student mold to apply to each of them. But it's hard to avoid that. Yet important to work on because when I'm at my height of comparing I do want to throw in the towel, wondering if it's all worth it.
Go to Randi's blog for more posts in this series.
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5 comments:
You are so right. Comparing your kids can be bad. I learned this early on, because my oldest and second are two very different people. And then along cam the third who is a lot like her oldest sister... Or so I thought (because OOPS, I had been comparing again!) but she is most definitely an individual herself. So I am trying to learn my lesson and not compare number 4 with her sisters! haha
Hi!
I came over from Randi's site. I love the C.S. Lewis quote at the top of your blog!
~Heather
I haven't done a lot outdoors with the kids in recent years either, and I also miss it. I'm determined to make this a really joyful homeschooling year.
comparing siblings was just one of my gripes about the public schools but then when I homeschooled I found myself doing the same thing ...just not out loud. Its very hard to realize each child is very different in looks, learning, play, feelings, everything.
Relax and enjoy...that about sums it up for me, too!
Thank you for your thoughts!
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