Parenting more

I came across this quote on this blog...
http://www.simplehomeschool.net

"I tell people who ask about homeschooling that it’s just parenting — but more of it. If you enjoy parenting most of the time, you’ll enjoy homeschooling most of the time. If you don’t, and you can’t wait to send your kids elsewhere for most of the day, you won’t enjoy homeschooling, and it may not be for you. The lessons you learn in parenting are multiplied and intensified through homeschooling. I hope my kids are getting a good education — but I KNOW I am!"

People homeschool for all kinds of reasons. I've been at it for several years now and I can't say definitively why I do it. Some days, it's cause I love the flexibility. I can do six lessons in phonics and nothing else or one lesson of math, language, science, etc. Other days I love that I get to be the one who teaches my daughter what letters make the oo sound. Other days I do no "homeschooling" at all. We just live life together. I like that too.

Here's the thing. I really liked this quote at first, then I hated it. Now I'm not sure what I think about it. I hate it mostly because it makes parents who send their kids to school sound like bad parents who don't like their kids, which I know is not the case. Our son is in public school and I have tons of friends who are amazing parents with great kids who spend their days in school, as well.

I like it because it's got some truth to it, except for the "can't wait" part. I'm not sure the wonderful parents I know would say they "can't wait" to send their kids to school each day (well, maybe some days :) ). It's just what they, and I, do.

I honestly never considered sending my kids to kindergarten.

I knew I would homeschool at least that year with each of them. I just wasn't prepared to have that shift begin. You know, the shift that happens when your kids are around their peers more. They want to be like them, talk like them, have the same games/toys. I wasn't ready for that. "Getting a break" from my kids never seemed like a good reason to send them to school. There are, of course, times I NEED a break, but I don't think that's what school is for.

What I've realized each year, and why I partially agree with that quote, was that homeschooling makes you parent more. Alot more. And some days that's great. Other days it's awful and I would really like to only have to parent them for those hours in the afternoon/evening and weekends.

Any personal flaws, or personality clashes are often up front and personal everyday when you homeschool. I can't ignore them, well I could but it just prolongs the inevitable of having to deal with those and learning how to co-exist in peace.

So here are just two (trust me there are ALOT more), things about myself that I've had to address sooner then I would have liked because I'm around my kids all day long.

Personality flaw #1. I'm not a schedule person.
I don't have specific things I do each day at specific times. I pretty much wake up with a general idea of what needs to be done and some days I get those things done. Autumn does very well with a schedule. She likes to know what, where, when and with whom every minute of our day consists of. I've had to accomodate her, which has made me a better planner and she's had to accomodate me with learning to just go with the flow sometimes.

Personality flaw #2. I like lazy mornings...alot...too much. I day dream about being 16 and sleeping in til noon. I don't get out of bed some days til my oldest son is out the door for school. My husband, who is awesome, usually makes sure everyone has had some type of breakfast, if he's home.
I haven't solved this one yet. Sometimes I'm up and moving around by 700/730, most days I'm still laying in bed pretending to be asleep. I'm a little selfish about it. Maybe that should be #3, but I'll stop with 2 for now...