I don’t have the patience to homeschool my children.
“I don’t have the patience to homeschool my children” has to rank in the top 5 things that people say that annoy me.
There is no homeschool mom that I know of (and I know a lot of them) who will stand up and say that each day they homeschool their child they keep their cool and never lose their patience.
I imagine that if you take a poll of homeschooling moms they would each admit, albeit it anonymously, that there are days that they have to stop short of their homeschool day just to save their own sanity.
You see, homeschooling is messy. It is hard. Most Some days it is not fun.
Homeschooling is also one of the most rewarding challenges God has ever laid in front of me!
Remember the joy you felt when you heard your child said “mama” for the first time. Now, multiply that by 20 and you will have what it feels like to teach them to read. Seriously, after I taught S to read I felt like I could do anything. Then the next week we met up with a thing I like to call evil – others call it subtraction – and then we fell back into beating our heads on the desk.
The beauty of this homeschooling thing is that I have God to fall back on. In the hard times, when I don’t feel as if I have the patience to homeschool, He is there waiting to comfort me and renew my strength.
His mercies are made new not just each day but each moment. He can take you from the worst day ever to grace.
Without Him in our day I wouldn’t be able to homeschool.
I am not a patient person. Don’t believe me, ask my husband!
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-23
Tips for when I don’t have the patience to homeschool:
Put the books away and end our schooling – yep, just like that. I have learned that it is often best to just cut the day short and pick it back up the next day. It is okay to take some time away from the books to refresh minds and attitudes.
Pray with my children – we will often stop and pray out loud for our hearts and minds to refocus. Sometimes this works, other times see the first point.
Oil Up – I love essential oils. I am not going to tell you they are the best tool for everything, because I don’t believe that, but I do believe that they can be used for certain things and one thing I definitely use them for is to uplift and inspire. If we are having a bad/rough day I will choose one of our many oils or blends and reset the chaos.
Send them outside – if it is warm enough I will send my children outside for a break. I have them go ‘run it off’ and usually that helps get the wiggles out and they are ready to get back to it.
Bribery – when all else fails.
The truth about homeschooling is . . .
Not everyone is going to be able to homeschool. Not everyone should homeschool. That is not the point I am trying to make. I guess what I am trying to say is that each day is different.
Each day will bring challenges and victories. It is all in how you decide you want to handle them. You can be defeated and walk away saying that you don’t have the patience to homeschool, or you can stop, give it to God, and come back tomorrow.
Now, excuse me while I gather up the bits of ripped paper from yesterdays math lesson and tape them back together so we can try to do it again today!
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Great post and so true! This is our first year homeschooling and although I am a former elementary school teacher who has taught 25 students at a time, this has to be the hardest and most rewarding! Yes, there are days that we have to cut our day short or days that we struggle to even get started, but I know this is what I’m suppose to do and it’s what’s best for our family. Thank you for sharing! Sometimes I feel as if it’s me and failing our daughter, but I know that we will have our ups & downs! I just have to have faith!
Yesterday was a very hard day for us. One of those “I am going to sign you up for school” days. Then I stopped yelling, and ranting. I prayed. Hubby and I talked. After that I realized, I can fight with her to do her school work (not everyday but the days that we struggle) or I can fight with her to do homework. Either way there is going to be opposition. I just have to remain faithful to my calling and know that He has designed me for this job. Thank you so much for your comment and coming by my spot here on the web!! ~Steph
I don’t have the patience either. So thankful God gives me patience – his patience and on days when I need an extra pot of coffee, I can get it – with a lot of chocolate.
Amen!!! I need to stock pile chocolate and coffee. Homeschooling is hard, but it is worth it.
I am new to homeschooling. I have a second grader, first grader and 3 year old. It has been so rewarding and so challenging. This week is a busy one and I’m not feeling well, but parenting, and apparently homeschooling, are so much about just pushing through when you’d rather not. Sigh.
Homeschooling is HARD! I have no lies to tell about that. There have been more than a few days where I have had to just close the books and walk away. But those days when it goes smoothly and I feel like they “get it” make up for each and every bad day! I pray for you, Charity, that the Lord blesses your journey and that you and your children both look back on this experience and view it as a great time in your life!
Steph
Amen!! Thank you for your words in this post! I am writing this bible verse on the bathroom mirror. This is my first year home schooling our first grade daughter. Earlier this week I felt defeated and insecure. I expressed those feelings to my husband and he said “If home school was easy then everyone would do it. But you’re doing great, and you will keep doing great!” <3
Homeschooling isn’t always going to be a walk in the park. Some days it is just down right hard, and you know what, that is okay!! We all have our bad days. Praise God for the good ones, learn from the bad ones, and move forward knowing that you are doing something AMAZING for your children!
~Steph
I love this! While I am not a homeschooler – it just isn’t in the plan for our family – I use many of these tips while working with my kids on their work at home. And yes, I’ve told teachers that some nights “You just have to play Legos.”
YES!! Some nights Lego’s is about all a mom can handle.
Enjoy those blessings!
Stephanie