(clockwise) deacon at the zoo; olivia as guest reader to her kindergarten class; camping; t-ball;
waiting for the train; levi pretending to be jaq-jaq; olivia in her garden planting beans
I am going to start this, but I would LOVE for you to finish it!
We have just completed our first Homeschooling year!! Whoot Whoot!!
Although I myself was homeschooled I have learned quite a lot about what it means to be a homeschooler this year. It's different being the mom/teacher.
learning to tell time; buy one get one; multiplication; 2 hermit crabs fighting;
reading with Mo-Mo; pancake decorating party; levi building
We have shared many tears, much laughter, frustration, elation... the whole gamut! And I am glad to be saying WE ARE DONE!!! (with a guttural ugh!)
But I can also honestly say, I can't wait for next year!! There is so much I am looking forward to changing, adding and tossing!
So I was kinda thinking back over this last year and some of the funny moments that have made us uniquely a homeschooling family. I'm sure we will continue to add to the list through the years. Here is where we began...
You Know You're a Homeschooler When...
levi and olivia on the train, levi saluting; deacon and our first homegrown zucchini;
levi in the out field;deacon's hands just like daddy's; deacon fixing just like daddy;
deacon learning special exhibit words; olivia and her binoculars;
entering St.Helena's Episcopal for children's chapel
... you use a big chocolate chip cookie from BaBa to teach fractions
... you know exactly how many days are in a school year (180) and how many more you have left to go! (0)
mommy and livie on a date; veggie face w/ home grown squash and zucchini;
jaq-jaq; livie writing; deacon proud finished math; at the library;
deacon turning 5; the 3 making grilled cheese
... you are able to help put together a puzzle, trace letters, do a math problem and stir the macaroni at the same time
... you catch a lizard and then catch a fly and sit quiet and still to watch the lizard eat the fly (and he does)
... your photo copier becomes your new best friend
at the beach looking for critters; levi daddy eyes; garden; deacon looking for shells;
mommy and boys on a date; deacon waiting to bat; levi with the geo board; livie always creating
... you use jelly beans to teach multiplication
... you go to the beach and ask yourself, "How can I count this as a day of school?"
... making cream of 'weak' becomes a math lesson
... you can wipe a butt and answer a math question at the same time
... you spend an hour on a lesson in body language before you begin a lesson in the English language
easter, sweaty after the hunt; olivia working out a math problem; ruby learning letters;
fancy dinner on piano bench for 3; levi's smile; reading the word while stirring the breakfast;
deacon in the out field; livie and the egg pinata
... you get asked by your five yr. old, "How come you wear pajama's every day?"
... you cry tears when your child reads his first word
... you help sound out words while taking a shower
... you learn what being patient really means
deacon 'fishing'; downtown; livie reading in old books store; girls day downtown;
deacon up to bat; girls day; beach day; more reading
... you find a child working figures buried under blankets
... you use jump ropes, rubber gloves, painter's tape, buttons, and squirt guns for school
... you see a math sheet slipped between the door and jam while trying to have a private moment in the bathroom
... you see child/parent relationships begin to heal
the easter egg hunt at baba's; and daddy holding the empty resurrection biscuit
... you learn to slow down
... dancing in the kitchen is counted as P. E.
... you see your child for the first time... again
... you can answer Yes! to the question, "Is it worth it?"
missing teeth; napping; first lost tooth; 3 musketeers
7 comments:
Love these :)
So great!
Mikal, I just saw this and wanted to tell you how excited I am for you that there are so many wonderful memories for your first year of homeschool. It is certainly an answer to prayer. I often think about you and your very thoughtful decision to homeschool. I know it was a big decision. I have also prayed for you all as a family when you entered my thoughts. God has certainly given you a blessing with the ability to persevere. This is another one of those moments when I can see where He is soooo good and faithful. Keep going girl. You are doing a wonderful job and you are a great mom.
I am sending my kid to your place for jelly bean and cookie math. :)
I love "dancing in the kitchen counts as PE"! We just created a "kids workout playlist", and some days our PE may include rolling across the bed (counting down from 10 of course). :)
Mikal this is so great! I/we can relate to every one of these. It's so neat to know that we are not alone in this homeschool endeavor - blood, sweat, tears and all! And yes, you are so right, all the sacrifices, difficulties and frustrations are SO worth it. Nothing describes the feeling of being the one who taught my kid how to read, to be there at every little milestone and watch the learning process happen right before your eyes. It is at times the hardest test, but by far the biggest blessing we have as mothers, that we are also their teachers. Thank you for this post! I love it!
God has always allowed me to see the benefits from the blood, sweat and tears that were poured into my children as I was homeschooling.
I'm still seeing them...
Love you,
Mom
Worth it!! Every bit of it!! Enjoy your summer break, Amen!!
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