The homeschooling me

There are a million and one blogs on all types of big and small ways homeschooling has been beneficial to families! That’s the thing about homeschooling, it’s so personal and customized that each family will have its own method (or lack thereof) and each will find it beneficial in their own way. I have abstained from writing about it thus far because I felt I was way underqualified. I know, I know that goes against the core of the homeschooling principle but it’s early in the game and I’m still getting my feet wet. I have had a chance to settle in a little though and I’ve realized that whether or not we continue to homeschool, I have realized the benefits that it has for my family. 

The opportunity to spend time together at length without the rush of deadlines has allowed my kids and me to make mistakes. That sounds funny as a benefit but just let that sink in – how many of us allow ourselves mistakes? Often we don’t, we expect to pull parenting off without a hitch and ‘when’ we slip up; we are devastated and sometimes over compensate. Sounds familiar? That’s all of us. The difference in the last year and a half has been that I have had the time to really think through things. I don’t have to tell off the kids right away just because soon it will be dinner time and bed time and this and that. I don’t feel the need to remedy it instantly. I can put off the “telling off” till tomorrow; allowing them and myself to really review the mistake. For myself, if I have reacted in an unwarranted manner or something I wish I had done better; the fact that I have them for every hour of the day and the next will surely give me an opportunity to rethink my reaction the next time round. 

Even if the situation doesn’t repeat itself, I will have the time to make up for my monster-mom moment eg an extra smile, 5 minutes more on the computer – yeah im stingy that way! The luxury of time spent together allows for these moments.

Normally, our instinct to yell at the kids comes from (hormones?!) too little time and too much to do. There is homework to finish, some or the other extracurricular to do, perhaps a tuition or two, test to study for and all before bedtime and the next day its starts again – and that’s just their schedule! This lifestyle doesn’t give us much of a chance to let them and ourselves make a mistake because the next day is already charging its way in!

Make no mistake, it’s not a zen-like household – I have miles to go before I achieve my zen but then so do they. The luxury of time I get to spend with them has allowed me to learn that they too want to avoid doing things that upset me; they just need time and space to work it out – sometimes by repeating that mistake!