Homeschool Moms: Are We Equipped to Handle the Hard?

  

I've been wondering -- am I TRULY equipped to handle the hard things of life as they come? 

For example:  homeschooling a high schooler is a joy (but it's hard!)

You know what else is hard?

Being a mom who ENJOYS her children instead of just merely educating and caring for them. 

(and while we're at it - being a Godly wife is hard, too)

Homeschooling has been the altar I have sacrificed a lot of things upon. 

And that must end.

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Classical Conversations: The Curriculum is Not Your Master

If I lay out all of the expectations for our second semester, it could lead to a small panic attack. Having a child in Foundations and Essentials and another in Challenge B is certainly a bit overwhelming (My hat is completely off to people who have more children than I do!). 

If there is one thing I have learned, however, it is that I have the FINAL SAY with all of my children's work, and that Classical Conversations acknowledges the PARENT is the teacher. Let me repeat that:

THE PARENT IS THE TEACHER.

I am not a slave to the Classical Conversations curriculum. It is a beautiful way of educating my children - a curriculum that guides me and helps me focus on what is truly important. Like any curriculum, however, it is NOT my master. 

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Learning About The Civil War

I'm a firm believer in learning "evolving" on its own. 

Our study of the Civil War has been a beautiful example of Interest Led Learning. 

Yes, the Civil War is on our history "schedule" this year, but the specifics of studying it are not. I like to leave those specifics up to my children. My job is to provide a variety of resources, field trip opportunities, and inspiration so they can soak in as much about the subject as possible.

This is why I consider myself more of a homeschool GUIDE than a TEACHER. 

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