Not Nice Spice
One of the common threads throughout How To Homeschool Series is that many families find it important to enjoy being a family. And it hit me—one of the reasons I wanted so desperately to send my children to school was to get back to me. But what I was, and am, learning is that the me I was grasping for is an illusion. Do we really ever want to be our old selves?! The things I wish I knew then. What I know now is that something I had worked up in my mind, well, not only is it not that bad, it’s pretty wonderful. Two weeks ago instead of sending my daughter off to school with five bucks and a permission slip for a field trip, Stud and I were able to take the whole kit and caboodle to the duck pond. It was freezing, so incredibly cute, but mostly it was the reassurance Stud and I needed. Our four year old pointed out the ducks habitat. And I mean she said, “Mom! There’s their habitat over there. Look at their home!” And I learned two things very, very quickly. One, she hears us—all of it. The moments we take to really devote our attention to our children, AND the moments in passing that we give no mind to. Two, she seriously needs a course in design, because there was a little bit too much excitement for that duck lean-to. These moments are what make me thankful for such a strong homeschool community. Having so many families to go on this journey alongside us, reminding us to celebrate our children through and through. Hello, my name is Ashley and I have been homeschooling for 8 years now. I have 5 children ranging from pre-k to 8th grade. A little backstory— I was homeschooled from 4th grade to 10th grade. From there I went to PSCE for 2 years at a local Technical College. I went on for my nursing license and finished as a Registered Nurse at the age of 21. I never really knew how wonderful it would impact me, but I am blessed and grateful for what my parents did for me. Starting out as a young family I didn't intend on homeschooling, but came as a trial period when my oldest was ready for Kindergarten. I wanted my kids to grow up together and not always have to be separated by school. From there it just grew on me, and I LOVE having my kids home everyday learning together and from each other. My husband, not having grown up that way, had some questions and concerns but was very supportive. Over the years he has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. When I want to quit he reminds me that we are doing the right thing for our family. My children have been for the most part very accepting of this lifestyle. My oldest, now that he is in public school activities, has felt the pressure to go to "regular " school. My number one stressor with homeschooling is making sure I have given them everything they need to succeed, and that I allow them to explore but pull in when needed. I'm a routine type of person, so the same goes for our school. I like order and consistency— my space is usually very minimal and organized for each individual student. I love using lots of books, drawing, props and lots of visuals while learning. I have grown to love the classical education approach, or Charlotte Mason, way of learning. I have done co-ops throughout the years and they can be a great benefit and a great choir, depending on what you like. I have learned to love just sitting and do more at home and less outside of the home. I would prefer to do a field trip day every week than a co- op at this point. You will also find that in each season of life things change. I have never had the same homeschooling year after year. I change it up a lot, between curriculums, activities, commitments, etc. The best part of homeschooling is you get to choose what works for your family and what doesn't. I have even switched mid year because something wasn't working for us. It’s okay! I do steer clear of online stuff due to having them away from electronics as much as possible. I think you can get so much more from a good book and discussions together. I find this as one of the best ways to come together as a family EVERYDAY, because to me family is everything. I didn't want my kids to be gone 8 hours out of the day and siblings to be divided in school most of the day and year. I was an optimist at first but this has been the best journey and I highly encourage others to try if for themselves. You might surprise yourself. One thing I want to leave you with is this: You are everything your kids need! You are enough to do this!” I promise and they with thrive and grow and learn.
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Kate FrancesWhen you don't know what else to do, then it's time to write. Then write a little while longer for good measure. Archives
February 2020
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