Levi and Leah enjoying an impromptu afternoon siesta
Obviously, we don't have to conform to someone else's schedule or someone else's expectations. In 2009 when we were completing the adoption of Anna and Levi, taking the kids out of school for two different trips to the Caribbean just wouldn't have been an option. Because our children are at home, we didn't have to worry about missed work or falling behind. The trips to the Caribbean were their school! Much learning took place as they learned about and experienced a different culture, not to mention experiencing the joy of travel.
Generally speaking, Bob has a busy and full work schedule. However, there are times that he is home for a bit in the morning and times he is home early in the afternoon. Occasionally, he will even have a work at home day. If the kids were gone at school they would miss those extra minutes to be around when Dad was around. We sometimes will take a spur of the moment road trip with him. We could never do that if the kids were in school. I appreciate these extra moments of time that we have together as a family.
Of course then we have one of "those" days and for a moment I think maybe it wouldn't be so bad to conform to a schedule, maybe it would be worth it for a moment's peace and a bit of restoration of my sanity! But every once in a while, on those days I feeling like giving up ~ I can call a teacher in-service day (or snow day!) ~ gotta love flexibility!
14 comments:
It is a gift. Before we were homeschooling my husband traveled and I did take my girls out of school for a trip to Puerto Rico, where he was opening a store. However, the older they get, the harder it is to take them out. Now that we are homeschooling, my husband no longer travels so much!
So true! I need to keep reminding my self that adding a new member to our family and learning to care for him is an education and stop being so hard on myself that other "stuff" isn't getting done quite the way I would like it to. I'm trying to be more flexible and remember that we are not taking the summer off again either! Hopefully it will keep me from actually putting them on the bus, when I really feel like I want to!
I could not agree more! I love the siestas! Would not mind joining them myself every now and then.
We are starting a new schedule...starting school earlier to try and "shorten" my day. I was feeling as though it was going on and on and on...never a break with schooling, chores, and running errands. We'll see.
We just had this conversation yesterday. I am also so grateful for flexibility and "stolen" moments with Dad, Grandparents and whoever else is around when kids would be at school if they weren't homeschooled.
As I am just learning about this homeschooling stuff I have realized what flexibility and options it gives our family that they don't have at "school". We can spend time on our own interests, spend extra time when something is difficult and let learning happen naturally instead of science from 1-1:30. Thanks for all you do to keep me informed. God bless you guys!
I couldn't agree with you more. I am schedule driven, by nature. BUT, I am starting/trying to ease up a bit and enjoy the freedom that homeschool allows us to have. We are year round schoolers, so I keep reminding myself that we can have a day off here and there :)
HI Jen!
Yes, being able to have a flexible schedule is one of the many benefits to homeschooling! I have one of "those" days quite a bit and wonder if I should just ship my kids off to a public/private school to keep my sanity. But, then I try to focus on the positives of homeschooling with not having to conform to someone else's schedule being a great positive and one less stress.
Great post and thanks for linking it up to our No Ordinary Blog Hop :)
It's one of my favorite things about homeschooling too! While we all have our own personalities, I think (speaking from experience here) that you also pass on the gift of flexibility to your kids this way. Hopefully that means thinking and working outside the box - a gift to the world as well!
How adorable. I wish I could just nod off like that. Great post and thank you for linking it to No Ordinary Blog Hop. You are so inspirational in your love for children. Have a blessed day.
Thanks for linking up to NOBH:) we homeschool year round and love it. We an take breaks and go on holiday whenever the mood hits and not have to be around crowds.
Adoption is a wonderful thing. Sounds like you have the right heart for it :) As a born again (John 3) bible believing Christian myself I know that when I received the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ alone (nothing added to it) I too was adopted into God's family spiritually. How wonderful is that! Romans 10 and Ephesians 1:5
Adoption is a wonderful thing. Sounds like you have the right heart for it :) As a born again (John 3) bible believing Christian myself I know that when I received the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ alone (nothing added to it) I too was adopted into God's family spiritually. How wonderful is that! Romans 10 and Ephesians 1:5
That is how we work it here too. We hit it hard for a few months & then we take a break & play hard too. I love that we can take a day if the weather is nice - so we can enjoy it. We work on our schedule.
it truly sounds like a gift, as Jessica says. and to be able to structure your days and lessons based on the needs and desires of your children and yourselves is wonderful too.
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