The other day, I was venting my homeschool frustrations to Kyle. He always sees things from a different perspective (he's a man, go figure), so he has good solutions for me to try. Anyway, this particular time I apparently had quite a few frustrations. Kyle said: It sounds like you aren't enjoying homeschooling. Do you want to quit?
I was taken aback. What?! Quit homeschooling?! Homeschooling is my life. It consumes my time and my thoughts: Is this curriculum working? Do I need to try something different? Is she an auditory or visual learners? Why did he respond that way? How should I have taught that concept better? etc. etc.
I was so shocked that he said that. He loves that we homeschool. He's so proud of what they're learning and how they're developing socially and emotionally as a result. I am too. Maybe I complain too much.
I said: When you come home from work complaining that some guy was really rude to you, or shocked that somebody left the coffee maker running with no coffee pot under it (yes, this really happened. A grown-up. Can you believe it?), I never ask if you want to quit. Those things happen. It's real life.
I am very careful not to express my homeschooling frustrations with people who don't homeschool. They think I must not like it. But Kyle loves his job. Even though people are sometimes really rude. Even though people sometimes act really dumb or thoughtless.
I love homeschooling. That doesn't mean it's easy. It's the hardest thing I've ever done.
2 comments:
I could have written this post. I will sometimes get frustrated, but when I think "Oh, it would be so much easier to just send them to school sometimes!", it makes me sick to my stomach to think of it. I KNOW we are doing the right thing for our family. My children have blossomed in the homeschooling environment and no outside teacher would care more than my children are educated than me!
Keep up the good work, Ginger!!
I think this way about my children sometimes, not often but every once in a while I whine.
I too am careful not to whine around the dissenters because then of course they would smugly feel justified in their dissention.
I whine to my hunny too, just not too loudly or he may not give me anymore children.
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