My motivation and excitement around homeschooling got lost a few years ago. It became this thing that I did because I was already doing it, because at one time I had really felt it was the best thing for my kids, because I didn't want to deal with the public schools, and so on. Not because I thought it was fun anymore, just more of an obligation.
And so I really started to explore and consider other options, and the weird thing is that homeschooling is starting to be fun again. I love doing letters and math with Dot. Homeschooling the elementary ages is wonderful. I love our math and reading kits. I love picture books and reading chapter books. I love that it's easy and fun to give children a solid foundation of phonics and conceptual math. I love nature walks and learning through real books and community activities. I love park days with other homeschoolers. No regrets at all about home education in the elementary years. It's a wonderful lifestyle.
Homeschooling the middle school years has been really challenging for me, in very different ways with both of my boys. Children want more time away from their parents at this age. More driving is needed. There is a lot of selecting outside classes and trying to find enough social opportunities. It's really hard to do this while having other children of different ages.
Bug spends vast amounts of time listening to audiobooks, which is wonderful, because he is constantly learning no matter what I do. My struggle with him is that he hates for me to tell him verbally what to do. I think if I input assignments into a web-based homeschool planner for Bug in the coming school year, our relationship will work a lot better. Academically, once again, I'm learning that Bug is completely different from his brother and will likely require an opposite approach. This took me an entire year to learn. Sigh. His brother responded best to constant adaptation, a very fluid approach. Written checklists never worked for him.
If I focus on the positive, Bug's doing great, getting his assignments done independently for his outside classes (just doesn't like me to verbally go over his assignments with him). He is motivated to have that work done on time and accurately. He really likes his homeschooled friends, and I want to focus next school year on making sure we have more social activities, if the pandemic allows, that is...
The pandemic has been helpful for me too, in terms of my motivation. All of a sudden, the world is turned upside down, and the weirdos who ignored conventional advice, who live on one income and educate their children at home, have it the easiest. During this time of instability, I don't have to worry about what another lockdown will mean. I don't want it, but we're ready for it.
It feels good to have that old sense of excitement and joy about homeschooling again. It just took time and a lot of letting go of the past.
No comments:
Post a Comment