Time Flies When . . .

Oh my, I was talking with two friends yesterday (we were working on a plan to save the world-more on that in another post) when I realized that we are going into our 3rd year of homeschooling. I am feeling very grateful so so many things. Words cannot describe just how amazing our lives are and how we have all changed because of our decision to homeschool. Yes, there have been some bumpy spots, I will not lie. In fact there have been times when I wished the bus would stop in front of our home. The good news is that "feeling" passes and we continue, we persevere. Why, because we are committed to this life, this lifestyle and our boys. There really is no one who can love my boys, encourage them and help them grow any more than I do. So we press on with much joy and yes some trepidation.

So stay tuned as we embark on year three (3)! There will be lots of stories and new adventures. I hope you enjoy the ride.

All in a Days Joy

It was an emotional day. Tornadoes swept across the country including two in our area. The boys and I watched and waited to see if we should head to the basement. Praise the Lord, we did not have to. Finally, I could get my shower and then we headed out for our day's activities. After a false start, we ended up at my sister's house. We had such a wonderful time of fellowship with her and she seemed to really enjoy the goofiness of my guys. We finally headed back home for a lovely evening. While I was busy creating a yummy dinner, the boys were busy creating a game with their legos and dice. It sounded pretty complicated and they were having a blast. So nice that they can create fun without screen time.

Now I am enjoying a quiet night and reflecting on how great it is to be a homeschooling mom who can change plans on a dime and enjoy each and every moment with my boys. Yes there are times when I feel overwhelmed by the responsibility and yet even in those times, I am amazed at the joy that comes out of even a simple day.

Homeschooling is a Lifestyle

I was sitting here thinking about how different my life is now that I chose to homeschool. As I think about how my days flow and my relationship with my boys, I realized that homeschooling is a lifestyle. We take our time through the day, we have our devotions, we homeschool, we go to the library, we go to the park, we enjoy each other and all the time I am able to build a business. My boys still have time for boy scouts, church youth group, sports activities and play dates. Their only gripe is how sad they feel for all the kids who have to be in school all day and then do homework. They have so little time for play.

I am grateful all the time for our new life and wish we started it sooner. When I find myself regretting ever putting the kids in school, I am reminded how I would not appreciate our life now had I not known what it was like before. When the boys were in school, the stress in our home was unbelievable. Homework was a nightmare. Getting to any after school activity was a daunting task if I wanted to feed my family and get it all done.

Would I go back? I don't plan on it. My hope is to homeschool them through high school. In fact my youngest son, who still is a snuggle bunny, wants to be homeschooled through college. Okay I am a realist, that is not part of my plan, but I love that it is part of his. My point, I am enjoying where I am, being present is the most important part. My boys have a better mom and hence we are a better family.

You Can Feel It In The Air

I woke up this morning to the reality that it is December 1st! This is not bad news, just a fact. I felt it in the air that is brisk and filled with energy. I felt as my boys are starting to catch the excitement of the media that Christmas is around the corner. There is something different about this year though, we are homeschooling.

I think what I like best about that is the flexibility of our schedule. We work hard but on our terms. We are getting ready to study the Westward Bound expansion which includes the Alamo and the Gold Rush. Tom and David cannot wait. There are lots of exciting stories to read and facts to learn. We are also preparing for the holidays which includes a new chapter, making our own Christmas presents. We fill our days with reading, playing and sharing.

I think my favorite gift this year is the opportunity to work my boys. I love them, and they really love being homeschooled. I hope your holidays are a blessed as mine. May your days be filled with peace and may you never forget the reason for the season.

Change, cha cha changes . . .

All right, I am one who likes to go with the flow and roll with the punches. I would even say that I have spent a great deal of my life flying by the seat of my pants, but this is starting to get a bit crazy. In the last three months I have had a child diagnosed with serious food allergies, decided to home school the boys to help him through the healing process, changed the focus of my business and moved my office home. I have got to admit I am a bit overwhelmed by all the changes that are happening at the same time. It feels like I just start to catch my breath from one change when another seems to appear.

I find myself feeling off kilter and out of sync and I am wondering how to get back in sync. I will admit that I love homeschooling and our new lifestyle rocks. I truly wish I had done it sooner. Now I am putting it out to my God and the universe, I need a sign that I am on the right path and I am doing the right things. I am looking for encouragement on many levels.

I will keep you posted as I travel down this path.

What does spaghetti sauce have to do with it?

I find inspiration in many places. Recently, I stumbled on a rich array of videos on many topics. The one I want to share with you today is a presentation made by Malcolm Gladwell who discusses the psychology of marketing by way of spaghetti sauce. In this clip entitled What we can learn from spaghetti sauce Malcolm explains how we went from marketing what we wanted to market to the masses by creating focus groups with leading questions to asking consumers to try many varieties of options to see which best suited their tastes. At first it is not clear how this is so significant, and as you watch this entertaining clip (about 19 minutes), you begin to understand the significance of this one revelation. Enjoy the clip and let me know what you think.

So what does this have to do with children? I am glad you asked. What if we offered more options and let our kids choose what they want? What do we normally do, we ask questions like: would you please go and get dressed? What we want is our child to get dressed; the problem lies when they answer the question in a way we don't want. So you ask the above question and they say "I don't want to." Now we are backed into a corner and this now becomes a confrontation. What if we became more resourceful and planned a little better. Then we could say: Which would like to do first, get dressed or have a snack? Then let them do both successfully.

Yes I know that seems like a lot of work, but if we can get into the habit of empowering our kids to make good choices, I believe they will rise to the occasion. Just a thought from this homeschooling-business mom.

The Quest Is Nearing An End

It has been a bittersweet quest to determine if I am going to homeschool or not. Besides talking to other homeschooling moms, even ones who have businesses running and homeschool at the same time, I went to a homeschool mini-convention in my area. I have read up on the different styles of homeschooling and reviewed my boys learning styles as well as my teaching style. At the same time I had the boys visit a school that has been on our radar screen for many years, a Christian school. They truly felt at home there. They were welcomed and when I came to pick them up, they were energized. Based on all the research as well as the most recent parent-teachers conference, we are definitely leaning toward the Christian school option.

I must say that I am personally disappointed. I wanted more than anything to be a homeschooling mom. But in the final analysis, I feel it is in the best interest of the boys and their mom to be in a school setting for the time being. That being said, it does not mean I might not broach this subject in the future. I am leaving my options open and I will not say "never." It is possible that once my business evolves and my boys are older, it may make sense to homeschool them at that time. Even though the quest feels done, it is only on hiatus for the time being. Thanks for following the continuing saga. The good news is whatever decision we make for the boys, I know it will be the right decision for our family.

The quest continues

Yes, I am still considering home schooling my guys. As I gently let me family and friends know that this is an option, I get many reactions, but mostly I get "What, are you crazy?" No I am not crazy. Furthermore, I feel more grounded than ever as I delve into this world. Who else can love and nurture my boys more than a mom? I am not sure where this journey is going, but I know that at the end of the road, my boys will be well educated, safe and have their self-esteem intact, which I am not seeing right now in their current school.

Wish me luck and if you are a praying person, please pray for wisdom and discernment.