Glory Quilts

Remembering

Today I sat on the steps and waved goodbye to my sons as they left for work. It reminded me of when we lived in WA - Matthew was in Kindergarten and Alex in 2nd grade and Brad in 8th grade at the public school. We lived in a mobile home that had been added onto several times. A roof had been put over the whole thing and a deck added out front. It was in the most beautiful setting, at the foot of a mountain, with a small valley set out in front of me, ringed by more mountains. Every weekday morning, I sat on my deck drinking coffee while we waited for the school bus. We were in a very wooded and wild area, with hummingbirds in the pine trees and lots of odd poultry, including peacocks, all over the farmyard. Each morning, I saw them get on that bus and was filled  with a kind of peaceful euphoria as I happily waved goodbye to them. (They were EXHAUSTING boys)

Today I was filled with nostalgia instead, but it was still happy and I am so glad at how well they have turned out. They probably wouldn't have if I had left them in school much longer, but eventually I caved in and obeyed and homeschooled them. SO many times I remembered that delightful thrill of watching them get on the bus and go away, but I know it was all selfish. I still maintain those years - and especially those mornings - were a gift from God.

Untitled Comment

10:03, Wednesday, May 3 .. Posted by justme

I have one very EXHAUSTING DD almost 6, DS almost 4 and a very smart DD 2 1/2. I'm also pregnant and exhausted. I've been homeschooling my kids and I'm thinking about sending my oldest to school not because I don't like to teach her but because she is so EXHAUSTING. School here would take her out of the home @ 8 hours 3 days a week for K and @8 hours a day for all other grades - it seems much too long for me. I also can't stand the teachers at the school and know that I won't have a clue as to what they will teachthe kids.

Please tell me how homeschooling went with EXHAUSTING kids? Was it always EXHAUSTING ?
How did you handle the winters when they had to be inside?
Donna

Hi Donna!

11:27, Wednesday, May 3 .. Posted by Cathe

To be perfectly honest, my boys were exhausting when they were young because I didn't know how to train them up to behave well. Once we started homeschooling, two things happened:

1. The bad influences were removed from their lives.
2. I was able to give them my undivided attention.

Yes, it was exhausting sometimes. If I had started earlier, I think it would have actually been easier, because I would not have had to undo so much damage.

The rewards NOW are worth the stress THEN. It was rewarding even then, but I don't want to tell you it was easy. It was not. It was just the right thing to do and I did it and I don't regret it.

Winters weren't really that different, but I didn't have babies. I just sent the boys out once a day even if it was cold! One important and helpful thing I did year round was quiet reading time. For 90 minutes, they had to read quietly. I should have used this time to do something productive, but usually I just went on the computer.

I found a really good homeschooling message board and made good friends there and got plenty of advice. As my boys grew older, I appreciated seeing the mothers who were going through the whole college application process. It was good mentoring, and that made a world of difference.

Edited by Cathe on Wednesday, May 3 at 12:29

Awwwwww

01:09, Wednesday, May 31 .. Posted by Momtomyboys

What a precious entry.
We mothers go through this life stressed and uptight sometimes over our children. This was my first year of homeschool and wow was it a wake up call as to what all God wanted to teach me (patience ugh). I remember feeling as you did watching him get on the school bus and thinking ahhhh relax time lol.

God has taught me so much and I am still wading my way through lol. Thanks for the reminder though to JUST cherish TODAY!