I give up. I believe that I gave a valiant effort but I just. can't. do. it. anymore. Last week Tom and I were going over our family goals for the year when he says, "I think we need to re-evaluate homeschooling." I agreed that I had been thinking the same thing earlier that week when I ended up having a breakdown over my cluttered house while on the phone with a friend. We had been snowed in and stuck in the house for three weeks and my house never got clean. As soon as I got one room cleared and clean, another would be destroyed.
I know what you're all thinking, "Well, she just needs to teach her kids to clean up after themselves." To you I say a big fat,"Whatever." The point is that I had an epiphany amongst our wrecked, crowded, cabin-fevered mess. If I couldn't keep things together for a few weeks while the Tank was out from pre-K and we couldn't go outside, what the heck was I going to do next year when they were all home, all the time? Not to mention how miserable Tweedledee was with the lack of daily social interaction with her peers. Once a week at the library just wasn't enough. Tweedledum was a little disappointed when we told them but he's been fine since they started. They both love their teachers and are excited to be with their friends again.
I took them down to the school last Monday, filled out the mountain of papers and then walked them to their new classrooms. They desperately wanted to be in the same class but there weren't two spots in any one class. Tweedledum was first and interestingly enough, the class he is in is the one he was originally assigned to at the beginning of the year. Tweedledee was next and when I told her teacher that I had been homeschooling her her response was, "Yes, I know." Ummmm... do the teachers have nothing better to talk about in their spare time than the fact that I had decided to homeschool my kids? How did my family become a conversation piece in a school so large that it has five classes per grade?
While I feel that we made the right decision, I still worry about what to do when they get to middle school. I've heard nothing but the bad things that happen at the middle and high schools. How do we teach our kids to be in the world but not of it? I know that they need to learn how to stand up for their values and what they believe in, but how do we keep them from unnecessary exposure to the evils of this world? I suppose I just don't have faith in my own ability to raise my children to not make the same mistakes that I made in my youth.
Make Bows No More
11 years ago
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7 comments:
You know, I thought about homeschooling Jenna for a while, but Rex was really against it, and when we finally talked about it, he said that he thought it was time for her to start leaning on her own testimony and being a good influence on her peers. I'd never thought about it that way before. I was also worried about the bad influences out there, but it helped to think about letting her set her own light out on the hill, so to speak. Not that I don't still worry, but that helped.
I wouldn't feel too badly. Unfortunately you can't shelter your children from all the evils of this world. You can just try your hardest to teach them gospel principles, show by example, and give them a refuge from the storm. I'm blessed to have my children in the best elementary school in the district- the teachers are wonderful and its a pleasant environment for them, but middle school is an entirely different matter. I have a few years to figure it out, but if we are still living in this area in 3 years when Tommy gets to 6th grade, it will either be private, charter or home school. I'm hoping for the former cuz I don't think I can handle home school! I admire you for all you try to do for your kids. Just remember that if you stretch yourself too much you won't be able to help them when it really counts. Make your home a safe place and all will be well. You might even get to relax a bit!! Love you and miss you!
Megan, You are an awesome mom and you are doing a great job! I miss you too. I finally posted a new blog entry...check it out! We have to get together!
No worries, Megan! We got pretty well snowed in as well and ended up pretty much just living upstairs because that's where it was warmest. My house is still recovering!
And I think your kids will do great. You have started them with a good foundation. Help them keep that foundation strong and it will become what they base all of their decisions on. I agree with Jeigh. The world needs people, kids included, who can set their lights on the hill for people to see and follow. Your kids are lucky to have such a good mom.
Not that you won't still worry, but what you CAN do is make your home a safe haven and build those little testimonies as strong as possible before middle school happens. Your kids will have to ultimately be able to stand on their own, but they don't have to do so without LOTS of home support. Build them up now and middle and high school won't be so scary.
They say that the biggest influence on teenagers beliefs are still what their parents believe, not what their peers do. Your kids will have the added advantage of having one of their peers also be their sibling. And just think, now that you can leave the 3R's up to the schools to teach, you can focus more of your efforts on teaching them the gospel!
I LOVE SCHOOL! I LOVE TEACHERS! I LOVE THE TIME MY KIDS ARE AWAY FROM ME!!!
Okay, now that that's out there, I can talk normal.
I have friends (dont' we all?) that love homeschooling--they're organized, creative, patient as Job, and their kids are other-worldly-fantastic.
I have other friends who homeschool and their house looks like a bombed out heap, the kids are ill-mannered, unkempt terrors. And Mom is a frazzled mess.
I would be like the former Mom if I homeschooled. I've thought about it over the years with my seven yahoos--in fact, every June I think, "Homeshool next fall?" Come August, tho, I am ready ready ready to send them back to the lovely building with nice teachers and hot lunches, while I regain my sanity from a long summer.
OKay, thanks for listening! Time to get the kids on the bus!!! LOVE IT!
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