Monday, September 2, 2013

First Day of Home School (and What the Pictures Don't Show You!)

Today was our first day of homeschooling!  I did a little homeschooling with Lydia the past 2 years, so that she would be learning to read and write in English, along with the activities at her Russian preschool, but today felt like REAL homeschooling.  Especially because I'm trying to do some pre-K activities with Birdie.

I posted these pictures earlier on Facebook:
 

 




After posting them, I thought, "Wow, these look good.  People will be amazed at what a great Homeschooling Mom I am."  In the pictures, it looks like we're all happy and learning together in perfect harmony.

But then I did a reality check (and a humility check!)  We did have some harmonious learning moments, but...

Here's what the pictures don't show you:
  • They don't show me trying in vain to round everybody up for the start of school, and only finally getting started at 10 am.
  • They don't show Elliot screaming and throwing temper tantrums for Lydia's whole first lesson, because I wouldn't let him grab the book out of her hands.
  • They don't show Lydia rolling her eyes and chanting, "Boring, boring, boring..." when it was time to do her reading lesson.
  • They don't show Birdie whining and defiantly plopping to the floor when I asked her to go wipe the yogurt off her hands before she touches the chairs.  (How unfair of me!)
My consolation is that even those homeschooling bloggers that look like they have it all together, probably don't.  At least not all the time.  Because we're all human, trying to teach little humans.  So I'm sure we'll have these "moments" every day.  My prayer is that even those unharmonious moments can be chances to show each other grace and forgiveness; that they can be lessons learned in the midst of real life.

Overall, I'd say our first day went pretty well.  Especially since it ended with a bowl of Turkey Hill All Natural coffee ice cream for dessert.  Yeah, that's a happy ending!


(Credit to Erica at www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com for the Letter of the Week activities that Birdie is doing!)
 

3 comments:

Julia said...

I can remember trying to homeschool one "real schoolgirl", one just getting started, and the little one just wanting to get in on the act. It sounds to me as though you're doing just great!! (JuliaP)

Kara C said...

awesome photos, and even better commentary! It's so true, that we never see those very human-on-human moments. I had to laugh at Lydia's 'boring' comments and your unreasonable expectations of yogurt-free hands!

Did I give you my Sonlight K readers set? I found one of the little books as we were moving, and can't remember who I gave the set to!

Praying for you all, and missing you,
Kara

Danielle said...

Thanks, Julia! Kara, I don't think we have your Sonlight books- we borrowed some, but I think we gave them all back to you before we left St. Pete... Unless we did keep some and put them in storage, and I just don't remember! We miss you too! I think this homeschooling is a little hard for Lydia because she knows if we were in Russia, she'd be in a fun school with your kids and her other friends.