A Post About Homeschooling

Here it comes-- the last month of the school year. I've all but made it through my first "trial year" of homeschooling. I must say that the experiment has gone remarkably well. I've enjoyed having my children home with me full time. I've enjoyed the slower pace, the late mornings, the relaxed schedule, the (comparatively) quiet evenings. I've learned a lot, and I think my kids have too. It's been a good thing for us, overall, and I think I'm ready to stick with it for the long haul.

Some of the highlights of the year have been "traveling" the world with "My Father's World: Exploring Countries & Cultures" curriculum. We studied the continents, memorized the names and locations of countries, and learned a little about world religions, customs, and food. We studied ancient history with "Story of the World", learned about helping verbs, prepositions, grammar, math, spelling and science. We've gone through mountains of library books, and haven't lost one yet! (Knock on wood!) It wasn't all fun, but a lot of it was, especially our frequent field trips to the YMCA pool, the zoo, the fudge shop, Colorado ski resort and of course Manhattan Island. It's been quite a busy year, and definitely one to remember.

 Looking back, the rewards of homeschooling seem so obvious, but I must admit that the past month or so has been more difficult. I've been struggling with feeling overwhelmed by the daily mundane tasks, and often feel incapable of keeping up with everything that needs to be done. While I can certainly complete any one of my responsibilities easily enough, when I try to do them all in a day, I often fall short. I've definitely been feeling a bit burned out. Which is why this past weekend's SHEM homeschooling convention could not have come a minute too soon!

Possibly the biggest perk to homeschooling is getting inside access to the homeschooling "club". I have met the most amazing, selfless, intelligent, compassionate, and hard working women in the world through homeschooling, and I was privileged to spend this past weekend with five of them at the Southwest Home Education Ministry convention in Springfied, Missouri. The conference was just the boost I needed, and I came away with a renewed perspective of what really matters most, and a million and one reminders of why I chose to home educate my kids in the first place. Here are some of the highlights of what I learned:

Jeff Baldwin talked about the power of ideas. "Ideas have consequences". This is why education is so important in the first place.

The very funny and entertaining Todd Wilson spoke to my heart about "irresistible parenting" and "the lies that homeschoolers believe". He warned that "discouragement lurks in every corner", and that we mustn't get lost in the "fog" and lose sight of our goals. So many of the things we worry most about don't matter at all. What we're doing at any given moment does not matter as much as who we're doing it with. If I am so focused on sticking to a curriculum or running my household a certain way that I am ruining my relationship with my children, then something is wrong. My children were sent to me for a reason. I am exactly the mother they need in order to learn and grow into the people God wants them to be. They are exactly the children I need in order to learn and grow into the person God wants me to be. The easiest and most effective way to let my kids know that I like them is to SMILE at them. How often do I smile at my children? Really? Not nearly enough. I'm working on it.

 I really enjoyed hearing Sheri Smith talk about her family of eight who sold everything, bought a fifth wheel camper, some four wheelers & kayaks, and hit the road.  They have spent the last three years traveling all over the United States exploring nature and doing mission trips. So. Way. Cool. Check out her website.  (I'm working out the logistics of a mobile dental office as we speak.)

Storyteller Jim Weiss moved me to tears with his masterful rendition of the story of our nation's founding fathers. Such beautiful history. I can't wait to get his CD's home and listen to them with my kids!  Seriously so good.

There were other presenters I enjoyed as well. Linda Lacour Hobar gave two different lectures: one entitled "Managing Meltdowns" and another about the "Bad Boys" of the 20th century; Christina McGough talked about managing stress and the power of positive thinking; and Jay Barber gave a class about native landscaping.

I really enjoyed all of the workshops, and browsing the vendor's booths, and of course hitting the used book store during the lunch breaks. Most of all, I enjoyed spending time with friends. There is something so therapeutic and empowering about being around such good, lovely people. I felt so honored to be in the presence of such wonderful women. Thank you, dear friends, for an unforgettable weekend! I can hardly wait for next year!