While my family has really enjoyed homeschooling, this year we are partaking in the beauty and routine of public schooling. My oldest daughter loves school, religiously completes her homework, and refuses to miss a single day for any reason. My son is having a hard time moving with the flow of the class and remaining engaged in activities. Both are making friends, gaining academic skills, enjoying the routines, and say their day at school was "GREAT!" They are also both clear in their pleas of homeschooling next year.
In public school, they miss their homeschooling community, the more flexible flow of our days, the free time available after completing required tasks, the mid-week spontaneous vacations. They also miss their daddy and the comforts of being home to rest and process at their own pace.
My heart moves like a pendulum on this issue, back and forth every week or two. In talking with many friends, I see homeschooling as a definite possibility. A clear and simple routine will need to be in place, more chores, along with built in breaks for me. A babysitter will be able to back me up so I can run errands, manage business details, exercise, and get out without children. While I love the connection in homeschooling, public school is a definite reprieve for me. I need that routine and time with our wee toddler while the big kids are accountable to other adults.
Tonight my son had an upset stomach. I asked him how long he has had diarrhea. "Since the school year started." Oh, my heart as the pendulum swings the other way. (I remember the feeling of stomach knots when I was a public school teacher.) Parenting is such a balance of taking care of ourselves and our children. The fine art of this challenge is finding the sweet spot where most of our needs are met and we come together in the middle to love on one another. I am still searching for this sweet spot. It is out there. I can feel it when I cuddle up with my sweet children and listen to their hearts beating in rhythm with my own.
In public school, they miss their homeschooling community, the more flexible flow of our days, the free time available after completing required tasks, the mid-week spontaneous vacations. They also miss their daddy and the comforts of being home to rest and process at their own pace.
My heart moves like a pendulum on this issue, back and forth every week or two. In talking with many friends, I see homeschooling as a definite possibility. A clear and simple routine will need to be in place, more chores, along with built in breaks for me. A babysitter will be able to back me up so I can run errands, manage business details, exercise, and get out without children. While I love the connection in homeschooling, public school is a definite reprieve for me. I need that routine and time with our wee toddler while the big kids are accountable to other adults.
Tonight my son had an upset stomach. I asked him how long he has had diarrhea. "Since the school year started." Oh, my heart as the pendulum swings the other way. (I remember the feeling of stomach knots when I was a public school teacher.) Parenting is such a balance of taking care of ourselves and our children. The fine art of this challenge is finding the sweet spot where most of our needs are met and we come together in the middle to love on one another. I am still searching for this sweet spot. It is out there. I can feel it when I cuddle up with my sweet children and listen to their hearts beating in rhythm with my own.
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