Well yesterday was our 2nd day of our 3rd week. So far had been so good. Yesterday we encounter our first significant road block. I have to undo something that has been engrained in him after years of private schooling. No small task I must say. I had to sit down and evaluate what was going wrong. A few hours and a frustrated child it was homework last year all over. This was not my intention whatsoever. So I "put on my thinking cap" and evaluated what was taking place. He was doing Reading workbook, not his favorite and getting a bit testy and wanting to distract himself by any means necessary. So what was going on, what was making me crazy by telling him to get back to his work, stop dawdling and finish his workbook? Then it hit me, a very important thing I had somewhat overlooked. Homeschooling is tougher! That's it homeschooling is tougher. Unless you have more then 1 student doing the same work there is only ONE student to answer the question. No one to bail them out when they are wrong. They must keep searching for the correct answer. When doing a worksheet there isn't someone checking off in red pen, handing it back to you while telling you to pull out the next subject. There is someone correcting your paper and telling you to grab your book out again to find the correct answers and figure out what they are no matter how long it takes. We aren't settling for 2nd or 3rd best here we are here to make our children the best that they can be and pushing them to learn. We are showing them the feeling of an accomplishment. When the paper is correct and you completely understand what we were doing then we will move on.
We are not bound by the time restraints of "the system". We are not bound by the lowest common denominator in the class. We are simply bound by the limits we choose to put on ourselves and the limits we have choosen are there are no limits. My children will learn continuously throughout the day whether we are counting the legally bound days or hours of the system, or whether we are out for a day of bargain shopping and learning the fundamentals of saving money and being wise with our earnings.
So yes reading may take us 3 hours today, but what amount of time will he save in the years to come when he learns what he needs to and can absorb the necessary information the first time around? Besides here he got a hug from mom and a kiss telling him that while I understood his frustrations I could promise him that it was for his benefit and that with time and practice it will all get easier. The benefits are going to be astounding and I was proud of him for sticking to it despite the difficulties.
