Yesterday JB was home for our school day. Some days he is at work, and some days he is here with us. He will help with school work, take breaks with the kids, or do farming or other needed home chores.
While I homeschool with my cousin Hannah, we are usually split up. She is upstairs with the three little kindergarten-age kiddos, and I'm downstairs with the six older kids. As the kids age, I imagine this will change, but for now, the three "littles" really need to be separated from the rest of the group.
Homeschooling can be really wonderful. Incredibly rewarding. But sometimes it can be super hard. All the kids go through different emotions. Sometimes those emotions are fun. They are excited about an accomplishment. Pumped that they got something right on the first try. Or eager to try a new thing.
But there are tears sometimes. Frustration. Disagreements. I am especially butting heads right now with Sidge who is so "precise" that he doesn't want to go one minute over or under on an assignment.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. But it was a heavy-question-day. All six kids, working on separate assignments, had various questions for me, and they seemed to go on all day long. I felt there was a constant line waiting to talk to me. And I was weary.
About three-fourths of the way through our five-hour-day, John gave me "the eye" and called me over to him. "I need to talk to you," he said.
Sometimes when he does this, he tells me, kindly, I need to go easier on this kid or that kid or I need to take a five minute break or lower my voice. But this time he simply said, "You are doing a really good job."
Could I have heard any sweeter words?
No one really tells moms they are doing a good job. And homeschool moms can feel especially overworked and unappreciated.
A small encouragement. It was huge to me.
Who can you encourage today?
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