Homeschool Diaries: Moving Along

I think it's best I wait for a good homeschooling day to write a post on homeschooling.

Not to say countless weeks have gone by that weren't worthy of good homeschool days. But, there were some that, well, flopped.

But, my heart has not changed. We press on. Press on with the good days and the bad.

Two weeks ago, I just about lost it. As Hannah and I worked on The Writing Road to Reading I realized she regressed. Majorly. Her letters were being formed incorrectly time and again. She was writing backwards. Her attitude stunk (perhaps because my attitude stunk). She cried. I seethed with frustration. It was bad. And I questioned all that I had worked on with her.

I questioned myself. Never was I ever so hard on a student in my classroom when I taught. I was pretty patient. I didn't feel that tightness squeeze across my body when a student struggled to listen or apply the rules. But with Hannah, frustration wrapped around my body like a boa constrictor seeking to squeeze out my last breath.

Funny how homeschooling is just another way the Lord reveals my sin to me and uses it to pull me toward Him. It's another way I realize, I can't do this on my own. And I remember the quote, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." Thank you Lord.

Today, was a positive day. We reviewed the letters Hannah has struggled with. And lo and behold, she wrote them almost all without a hitch. She and I were thrilled. Here's our conversation:

Me: Hannah I'm so proud of you!
Hannah: Yeah, I didn't cry. And you didn't have to leave!

Yes, I had to leave the room one day so we both could calm down. I had to leave Hannah screaming at her table. While I had to go to another room to prevent myself from saying something hurtful.

Let's be real. Teaching your own kids is hard.

But worth it.

Again, being the sap I have become since giving birth to three kids, I got teary eyed as I saw her successfully and proudly writing thirteen letters. 

So, we are moving along. I am still a strong advocate of Classical Conversations. Both Hannah and Grant will be enrolling again. I will be taking the director's position for our area. This was a big shock for me, a one year veteran of homeschooling. But again I am reminded of how the Lord equips the called. There is an awesome group of women to support me in this role. So next year will provide another adventure in this homeschool journey.

I will leave you with some pictures of our homeschool days the past few months. We're all learning together. And, it's pretty awesome.

I realized as I went to upload pictures that my homeschool pictures are few and far between these days. The two activities above are both ideas I got off of Pinterest. I'm loving that site!