Homeschool Day

People who don't homeschool often wonder how I'm able to get my kids to sit still and listen to me so I can force some knowledge into them. I always answer that it's a lot easier to manage the education of three children (whom I've known their entire lives) than it is for a schoolteacher to teach roughly 25 kids. I won't pretend that every day is a blissful experience where all of them show up in the schoolroom on time and ready to learn. Some days are amazing, others are exhausting, and most are some combination of the two extremes.

Today was fairly typical. My youngest was up first, while the other two took their time getting out of bed. The rule in our house is eat breakfast, get washed and dressed, and then if there's any time left before class starts, it's free time. I was scrambling this morning because I was trying out a new recipe for homemade baked beans, while researching 'The Three Musketeers', and printing out some Power Rangers coloring pages as an incentive program for my little guy. I let the older two start with working on their book reports, which was more hands on for me with my second grader than for the sixth grader. It seemed that every time I got them settled with independent work, I had to run back downstairs to throw in another load of laundry, check on the beans, or empty the dishwasher. I finally had all of the kids settled with work (and backup work) by about 10 am. I took the opportunity to jump in the shower. Sure enough by the time I was done, M-girl was at the bathroom door calling for me. Apparently she hit her head on the pencil sharpener (better not to ask, trust me).

We got through the rest of the morning in much the same manner, with me scurrying from child to child, and task to task. At lunchtime the neighbor boy called wanting to play (public- schoolers were off today). I was proud of K-boy when he said that he'd be available after his schoolwork was done. We cracked open a new science kit, which kept the younger two enthralled for an hour. A little finish up work, and we were officially done for the day. Overall not bad. Progress was made. I can sleep tonight.



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