Reclaiming the Beauty of Learning and My Sanity

So, six years ago last month we began our homeschooling journey. 

And while I nodded my head that our school wouldn't look like 'real' school, it kinda did. 

And, sometimes, it kinda does. 

I can't help it. I do like things like worksheets for math. It saves my sanity. Mine. It is a barometer for where we are, where we've been, where we need to revisit, where we can move on to..... 

I remember thinking of the insanity of me holding a flash card of crayons with our oldest, working on colors. 

Insane. 

I remember thinking, "What?!? Why am I doing this?" 

So, after a time or two of questioning that part of the purchased from the curriculum company lesson plan, I skipped it. 

Instead of quizzing him as part of the plan, I decided I'd just be more intentional in using the words in conversation. (He was four, it was the color orange, a color not allowed in our house, so there were plenty of reasons for him NOT knowing this. Go DAWGS!)

Instead of waving the number flash cards at him, I decided we'd practice using the phone. So, he got the practice of numbers by dialing grands and great-grands to say "hello." 

Lots of scores on this front..... He learned his numbers. He learned important phone numbers should he need them. He learned telephone etiquette. 

Here's another one....days of the week and how to read a calendar...... I stressed out over this for about five seconds.... After all, we conquered letters and numbers....So, I did what any child of the 70's and 80's would do.

I taught him the days of the week teaching him the Happy Days theme song. 

And I bought a big, laminated calendar and hung it on our fridge. I update it with our family events, birthdays, holidays, special reminders. 

Score, again! 

Now, I'm finishing kindergarten with our second, and I'm much more relaxed. 

Instead of flash cards for simple addition math facts, I've taught her to draw dots. Wouldn't you know it? She remembers 3+4=7! And I didn't sweat it as much as I did with her big brother. 

Interesting. 

It's not because I'm some ah-mazing teacher or mom. I'm a hot mess just like everyone else. 

Here's the difference: I've learned and am still learning to rely on a God Who is much bigger than me, Who loves these kids more than their daddy and I do or ever could, and Who is teaching me to stop stressing, trust Him, and enjoy these kids He's blessed us with.