In the eyes of some folks I'm sure Homeschool Moms seem gluttons for punishment. I've had several friends and family members remark how either I'm crazy or why would I do this to myself? They figure I'm taking on way more than a mom should. This issue to me is no different than my decision to stay home in the first place.
Some people thought that I was crazy to want to spend all day everyday with my babies. Some women said, "I just couldn't do it. It would drive me crazy not doing anything all day." For those of you who were and are stay-at-home moms you know better. We have plenty to do all day (though it is hard to get it all done somedays) and rarely do we find ourselves bored... Unless you call chasing kids, changing kids, cleaning kids, cleaning up after them, keeping them from harm and feeding them nothing. I'm sure many of you can relate when I say that around 9 p.m. I'm ready to go to bed!
The thing that has made it so worthwhile to be home with my little ones is watching their progress and growth. I remember a friend telling me about a little boy she watched as a baby, when the mom came to pick up her son my friend excitedly told her that her son took a first step. The poor mom cried, someone else was the first to see her child walk. As a result of stories like the this one I knew that I didn't want a babysitter or daycare center being there for all the big firsts. I wanted to get to see all the deveopment and progress of my children first hand. It has been pure joy when my babies first smile, roll over, crawl, clap, say "ma ma" or "da da" and walk.
Homeschooling for me seems a natural fit with being a stay-at-home mom. Just as I was there to witness all of my babies' firsts I also want to be there when my children learn to read, write, spell, and discover amazing things about history, science and math. I want to witness my children create their works of art rather than having it brought home to me. It doesn't end there though. I want to spend as much time with my children as I can when they are living with me because I realize how fleeting this time is. Children are only 5, 10 and 15 once! Then they turn 18 and college, careers and adventure take them away and we only get to see them when they want to see us. So, with that in mind why would I want anyone else to have the joy of teaching my children when I'm perfectly capable?
1 comment:
Brandi, it's fun to read your thoughts on homeschooling. I know we've talked about it quite a bit over the years, but I'm always interested to know more about what has inspired your decision. There have definitely been times I've thought homeschooling would have been good for my kids, but overall I've been happy with our choice to send them to public school. I'll be interested in hearing details about how it goes for you guys.
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