Monday, September 17, 2007

The Homeschooled Mom

I'm homeschooling myself. Doesn't that sound like fun? I get to pick the subjects I want. I set my own schedule. And I correct my own work. Of course, I get all A's (I wish!) Though I do seek help from my principal from time to time. I only wish my childhood schooling could have been like this.

When I look back, I should have been homeschooled. I have read a lot of homeschool moms feel that way. That's one reason many of us thought about teaching our kids at home in the first place. Because we wish we could have been. But, you can't turn back the clock. Must go forward.

I am trying very hard to keep a schedule for myself. Usually just after my kids are done, I get 10 minutes or so to work on my math book and French language lessons. It's just a little each day but it's worth it, to me anyway. I've also been going through a slim book on writing skills and when I finish that one, I'm going on to a grammar book by the same author.

My dh and I have discussed my attending night classes to further my education but, really, I don't think I could commit to that right now. So I'm doing what I can, on my own. I never really went to college, just a couple of classes that I only briefly attended. I just hated sitting in a classroom for any length of time. I wanted to work early on so I jumped into an office position at age 15-1/2. Worked after school and on weekends. It served me well as a springboard for the other routes my various careers went. But now that I've been out of the working world for so long, I'm feeling the need to learn more. Teaching my kids allows me all kinds of opportunities to learn, of course. But I want time to learn what I choose, too. And it's free!

This is apparently what one does when they reach a certain age. In my case, that age would be 44. Yesterday I said to my 45 y.o. husband, "I'm having a mid-life crisis!" And I am! I always wondered if I would really know and ... I do! I can feel it! He said he felt that way a few years ago and now he's a nurse (after 20 years of being a cabinet builder!) Lesson learned: You are going to get older, no matter what you do. Time is going to march on. You can either sit around and stew or you can do something. Anything you can do to move forward is better than going backward or sitting still. I can see that I've been slowly improving my life for some time now. I've been eating healthier for years. I've already embarked on getting more fit and exercising, I've been doing that for a few years now. I crave exercise. It's my new habit. It's hard to fit it into my day but I try. The next obvious step to me is to exercise my brain.

And this time around, I can learn at home.

5 comments:

Leingang Family said...

A love for learning is exactly why we homeschool. It is why I LOVE teaching so much, too.

I started exercising too. It is hard to do every day and I want instant results. But I keep telling myself that it took over 10 years to get this way, so it won't go away in 2 weeks. But I hope it doesn't take 10 years either.

I am also feeling a burden lately to eat healthier. I never have before and I am not sure what is triggering it.

Enjoy your learning journey. You will become a better person for it. The word says "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold." Proverbs 3:13-14

Katie said...

I would so love to go back to school, but unfortunately I just don't have time. Being a homeschool mom is definitely the next best thing!

I'm glad to hear you've begun exercising :-) I've been walking nearly everyday since May. I feel much better and have lost about 15 pounds. I'm also eating better! I wish we could exercise together, that would be so much more fun!

Mama Self said...

Way to go on your studies! You are very disciplined, and that will pay off even if you can only do a little here and there. Consistancy is key.

I have a BA in General Studies with a concentration in Psychology, but I know I'm not done with my schooling. I think I'd like to get a Masters in Education and become a teacher...no, I'm really not kidding. In the meantime, I'll continue to practice on my four guinea pigs! (And I'm thankful that they are grateful for being home schooled!)

Debi said...

Okay, I'm officially impressed! Seriously. And inspired, too! I think it's so fabulous that you're doing that for yourself...and I know it can't be easy. Not the learning itself, of course, but the making the time.

So glad I popped over here from Kathleen's...you've got a great blog!

mommy to six J's said...

That is so great. I wish I had the desire to go back to school but the truth is that I hated school. Good luck I enjoy yoru blog, Char