What, Me Worry?

The following is a post from Tabitha.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had with homeschooling all my children is worry.

• Are they learning enough?
• Are they getting enough outdoor activity?
• Are we trying enough different styles of learning to make sure they are learning the best way possible?
• Do we need different curriculum or books?
• Am I spending enough time planning?
• Am I doing the right thing?
• Are they getting enough social interaction with others?
• Are the neighbors judging us?
• Are we keeping things challenging?
• Are we setting goals too high?

If I think of all these things in one day, plus more, then I really start to be somewhat depressed and no one wants to be around me.

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Instead, I count the things that have gone right. How my 3 year old counts EVERYTHING and is getting the right number all the time, even up to twelve or more!

I see how my 15 year old is working through his AP Biology schedule he made for himself and watching college commercials during football games with some spark of interest and I realize how short time is, but how proud I am of him.

I see my 11 year old misuse words and get teased by her father and brothers (what else are dads and brothers for?) but KEEPS trying to use the larger vocabulary she is acquiring through all the new reading she is doing as her interests branch out.

I see my 2 year old realize that words have meaning and the more she uses, the more attention she gets, and the more accurate her family is at fulfilling her wishes. UP means she gets to fly in Dad’s arms. Signing “milk” means she actually gets a drink of milk. “Hi!” gets a “hi” back. “Mom” and “Gaggy” (seriously, this is what she says for dad…) answer when she calls.

My 6 and 8 year old boys are excelling at helping their younger brothers learn how to build things with Legos, and their new magnet sets are inspiring new designs every day. They see what their older brothers are reading and playing and know that they want to learn these things when they are ready.

I see my 13 year old beg for more time to read before turning out his light, and come up with elaborate games to play with the little guys.

My 5 year old is learning how to reason and explain his thought processes, and why things aren’t right in his world. Things get fixed much faster for him than when he would just scream and cry.

Kids realize that when chores (and schoolwork) are done, Dad and Mom have time for the board games we got for Christmas. When they help clean up quickly from a meal, we have more time (and room) to make treats. I see more harmony when everyone works and plays together.

This applies to every area of our lives. Family living, homeschooling, working, cleaning, communicating… I realize that our family is truly learning… just by looking at the results.

I don’t worry anymore.

(As much.)

Tabitha (wife to Tom, homeschooling mom to 8+ kids ages 15 to ‘on the way’, learning something new all the time)