Three things I learned during our first 100 days of homeschooling

I can not even begin to explain how excited I am to have our first 100 days of homeschool behind us! When we first started in August it seemed like it would take forever, lol. We've had many ups and downs, but honestly I would say it has been an amazing experience. I've definitely learned so much over the first 100 days of homeschooling. 

WE DID IT!

There will be bad days and that is ok... When we first began homeschooling this year I expected the first few weeks to be rough, but they weren't. I mean I struggled with getting my day organized, buth the kids were model students. They were fantastic and eager. I was beyond thrilled. I thought I had really prepped them well and was doing a banner job. Then everything changed. The truth was homeschool began to feel like...school. Sure we play more games and have a less crazy day, but there are worksheets to do and new lessons to learn. I was met with attitudes and meltdowns. I wasn't prepared for the change of events. I walked out of the room crying not sure what to do. Then I had to remember it is ok. What we don't get done today we will get done tomorrow. It's ok to pack up the books and head to the park, or send them outside to run around. We are not bound to the classroom. We took unscheduled trips to the library, walks around the neighborhood, and started craft projects. When the moods shifted, I gently reminded them we need to finish up classwork. You know what? It got done...eventually. We still have off days or off moments in our day and I need to remind myself to be flexible. It is ok.

Make time for Momma... I would not consider myself overly social. Last year when my son was in 1st grade and my daughter at preschool, I spent a great deal of time at home. I did the drop offs and pick ups, I did a weekly Bible study, and ran one day a week with two girlfriends otherwise I was at home. When we started homeschooling I was all in. I made no time for myself to get away. I went to the hobby store--the little ones were with me. The grocery store, we went together. My break was on Sundays when I dropped them off and ran to my adult study. Then our church announced the mid-week study and this year they'd be able to care for homeschoolers. My husband pushed me to sign-up. The thought stressed me. We were already doing karate on Monday mornings and I found this really put me behind. The last thing I wanted to do was add a Wednesday morning away from home. He felt like it would be good for me and the kids. I gave in. Oh what a blessing my Wednesday morning group was. I sat and talked to grown-ups. I hadn't realized how much I missed them! The experience for C had been fantastic, too. The church had it set-up that homeschoolers would work on their own for an hour. This helped him with learning to be independent, plus if he finished with the worksheets I brought he would read. He fell in love with reading. After church, after being social, I found I was recharged. I was more energetic and felt more like myself. This allowed me to be better for them.

I can't do it all... there it is. The one thing I really hate to admit. I can't do it all. Homeschooling takes a good part of my day. When we are done with homeschooling I try to get things done around the house or sometimes I just want to do nothing. I haven't figured out how to get all the shopping, cleaning, laundry, schooling, playing, phone calls, bills paid...all of it done. I get a lot of it done. Not done as well as I would like it or in the time I would like it. My husband has been doing more, I've had to do more in the evenings (I used to get it all done during the day), I've had to learn to deal with some things just not getting done. Maybe someday I will post how I've learned to get it done. I know I could plan better. Plan all my meals, plan a cleaning and laundry schedule...but for now I'm still figuring out how to get all the schooling done because school is my number one focus. That is ok. I am learning to be ok with that. I mean it's not like my house is going to be on the next episode of Hoarders (and I do recommend watching it--you will feel much better about the condition of your own home). :) This is simply the season my family is in and honestly I'm loving it.