Homeschooling in Real Life
My son was three when we decided that we would homeschool him once he reached school age. I had read books upon books and talked to many of my friends who were already homeschooling their children. I was literally on cloud nine about the whole process. The more I thought and planned, the more excited I became about the things we would do each day and the outings we would take with other homeschooling families. Then one amazing afternoon we brought our second son home from the hospital, and everything changed! We were still only doing play-based learning with our oldest, but I had a freak out moment. No! I had a freak out six months. My thoughts were something like this; “What have I done? I don’t have time to homeschool. He will never learn anything from me now! I don’t even have time to brush my teeth!”
I have a church preschool background, so the classroom organizer in me was on point and ready to go. I had the school area set out in our dining room. It was all ready to go with shelves of math manipulatives, science bin, art supplies, etc. I was prepared for the teacher part but not the “teacher mom” part. I had crazy expectations of myself; such as having the baby put down for his nap at exactly the same time each day so that I could have circle time, and have a lesson or two done by the time he woke up. In other words, I was delusional!
I crumbled one afternoon once I realized that I couldn’t continue the way I was going and that I needed to better prioritize. My husband and a wonderful friend helped me realize that having the baby around actually created great situations for my oldest to learn life lessons. It was better than anything that I could teach him through a printable or math lesson at this stage in his life. Yes, those other things were important, but letting him help me with his baby brother taught him responsibility, patience, empathy, forgiveness, gentleness, leadership, and the list goes on and on!
Our lives as a homeschooling family have just begun, and I am thrilled to have my two boys grow and learn together. Having a second baby could have continued to feel like something I did to my first-born, but it has become something we decided to give both of them and our family. I love that they already adore each other and couldn’t see their days without one another now. Watching them explore and learn together has been the most amazing and rewarding thing to experience as a “teacher mom” and mommy!
Amber Chamblee has been married for 7 wonderful years to an amazing and supportive Godly man. She is honored and lucky to be a stay-at-home mom to two wonderful boys (3 1/2 and 11 months). When she’s not homeschooling, she enjoys spending time outdoors, outings with her boys, crafting, and feeding her Pinterest addiction! She also enjoys blogging at Raising Adventurers.
Just love this. As you worked through what you felt you were called to do. Many blessings on you and I pray that you can always take the time to hear what God is telling you.
Blessings,
Janis http://www.janiscox.com Author of Tadeo Turtle
I love that you did not have time to brush your teeth! I totally understand! I’m getting my third child going with school and it has been a challenge to add her schooling in with my older two kids. Somedays are harder than others, but we are all getting the hang of it.
Thank you for the awesome encouragement!! It’s a huge motivator knowing that your not alone 🙂
You have become a veteran home school mom when you can lay aside the conventional method of teaching, and make real life experiences (and games) the lesson. It is known as whole brain teaching.