Wednesday, June 6, 2012

I did think it was weird

When the Handsome Honey and I were engaged we were chatting about kids. 
I remember quite vividly - I was wearing a favourite blue cardigan (nothing much changes!)
I said to him "So, when we have kids I hope you don't think I will be homeschooling. I won't be. Its weird"
Hehe.
My Honey says sometimes I have a tendency to being 'strongly definitive'!
giggle
So.... fast forward a couple of years.
I am in bed with a 3 day old baby in my arms, crying my eyes out.
The Handsome Honey walks in
"What's wrong?" he asked
"I can't send her to school! I can't have anyone else having more time with her than me! We have to homeschool!!!"
That's it. That's my reason for homeschooling.
Seriously!

Fast forward 8 years.
I've spent the morning with my kids doing inductive Bible study, astronomy, ratios and fractions, 
cursive writing, puzzles and laundry folding (not officially a school subject but we might call it 'technology')

I've chastened, tickled, hugged and disciplined. 
We've talked food, books, Lightening McQueen and popcorn. Salvation, forgiveness, Light and Dark.
Jam sandwiches, pasta and veges simmering. 
Milo with sugar, with hot water and without.
Missed friends and hard math problems.
S's that look like snakes and 4's that seem to prefer being written backwards.

Baking and cookie dough, mixing and messing.

Time for one in a bedroom, snuck away to write her journal,
others in the playhouse willing the rain to stop while looking longingly at the trampoline

And others content for crumbs.
Is it weird? I guess maybe to the naive and empty arms of the '13 years ago me' it was.
But now? 
Nope.
Just contented sigh-ingly lovely.

5 comments:

  1. Beautiful post. I hope the rain stopped for the kids :) x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wow, this touched my heart so deeply. I started reading about homeschooling when my eldest was around three - I'd never really 'known' about it. I found my daughter's first year at school especially hard and continued to think about home-schooling - but lacked the inner confidence, conviction and family support.

    She's nearly nine now - my eldest - and is happy at a lovely girls school - she wouldn't want it any other way - for the moment, but my second daughter (6 and a half) didn't settle into school and finally I felt confident in myself to 'go for it' - I'm now happily homeschooling her and also have our wonderful 2 year old at home too. My parents and husband weren't convinced at first - but, as the saying goes, 'the proof is in the pudding' and things are working out okay so far.

    I really admire your inner confidence and conviction. What a lovely family you have, Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Michelle - Thanks! and nope, didn't stop raining.... but it did today! Yeah!

    Hey Sarah - thank you so much. I am so glad for you - it's neat that you have taken the leap and that things are going well. If my memory is correct (you are british?) - homeschooling isn't so common over where your family are so it's a new thing for them to get their heads around - you've been very brave! Ditto for the lovely family. x

    Hey Leonie - xx :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. You have warmed my heart this afternoon!!! Beautiful, just beautiful! Blessings! Ruth

    ReplyDelete