The Transparent Homeschool

I love sharing on my blog when things go great, and I can post pictures of my kids doing awesome creative things, and I am blessed when others are inspired to try some of our ideas too.    I also love sharing when things go painfully off course, so that moms are encouraged that they are not alone in their struggles.    Today was a great example of this............

We are starting back to school today after a long break that brought new little Rosalie Jane into our lives.  We tried to start back last week but sickness derailed us.  So today was the big day.    I got up early and made a great plan....a really good plan.   It goes like this:

1.  Using Hymns for a Kid's Heart I will teach them the first verse "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing".  I will tell them the story of Charles Wesley...that he had 18 brothers and sisters, was homeschooled, and wrote over 6000 hymns.   We will all sing together and sound awesome.   I will be incredibly entertaining and hold their attention, especially when I tell them my new joke:  "When is it okay to sing with your mouth full?  When your mouth is filled with praise!"   They'll love it.  

            REALITY:
  child one:  still feeling slightly sick, no voice, sat glumly at the table with arms crossed.

 child two:  eyes glazed over, staring off into space, slightly moving lips, no sound

 child three:  trying, bless his heart, but couldn't read all the words yet

 child four:  where did she go?  She was just here..........

 child five:  fills the air with something other than song, if you know what I mean.  
                                     - which means I have to change the diaper, so I risk losing everyone from the table.

but I tell myself "That's okay....first day is always rough.  Satan does not want these kids praising God.  I have to soldier on.  Tomorrow will be better.  So onto item 2 on the agenda."

2.  Using Your Child and The Bible by Rick Osborne I'll teach them why the Bible is the most important book.   I'll teach them the God has breathed life into the bible, and that it is useful for teaching us what is true, correcting our mistakes, making our lives whole again, and training us to do what is right.   I'll let them read Joshua 1:1-9, and print off great coloring pages and worksheets from this great FREE resource.   All children will be refreshed and leave the table with a renewed passion to study the word of God.  Okay, I was pretty sure this would not happen, but a mom can dream. 

Reality:

 Child 1:  still feeling slightly sick, no voice, sat glumly at the table with arms crossed

 Child 2:  immediately spilled hot chocolate on his pages, prompting a scolding from child #1 child 2 runs crying upstairs

Child 3: passionately raises his hand every 30 seconds and regurgatates every bible lesson he's ever             heard that is completely unrelated to what we are talking about.  And I thought he wasn't listening.

Child 4: colored all the pages before everyone got to the table.   Hummed to herself during entire             bible reading seriously irritating child 2 who was doing the reading.

Child 5:  confirmed my suspicion that she is going through a growth spurt, and my suspicion that I
                          shouldn't have eaten onions yesterday on my salad.  nurse, cry, repeat.  

After all of this, I pull out a surprise present for Child 1, a new grown up bible study to do on her own without the little siblings.   I tell her I'll do the breakfast dishes and send her up to her quiet room to have what I imagine will be a wonderful quiet time with God that will completely turn her attitude around, allowing for smooth sailing for the rest of the day.   Due to preteen hormones, the slight prompting of the Holy Spirit during her study showed her that she was probably a little harsh on child 2 this morning, which sent her into a sobbing fit that resulted in her wearing herself out and  falling asleep on the couch.   

Somewhere in all that there was also a broken plate and a cat poop in the closet.  Ick.  

It's a really good thing that that bible verse that child #2 read outloud this morning was this:
Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 

Thanks God, that you know homeschooling 5 little kids is not for the faint of heart...you know I need encouragement to stand strong and keep going when it doesn't come easy.   You know that I fear I'll never measure up to the standard I have set for myself, and tell me to not let that get me down, because you are with me.    Maybe the lesson today wasn't for them, but for me. 

Math anyone?

Hymns for a Kid's Heart

Your Child and the Bible (Learning for Life)

Experiencing the Heart of Jesus: Student Edition (Lucado, Max)