Individualized Homeschool

Recently I've had the opportunity to share my homeschool experience with other moms just beginning their homeschool journey. It has given me time to reflect on the start of our homeschool program. I remember doubting my ability to teach my children and feeling pressured to meet state standards or do it the way someone else did it because obviously they were better at it than me. To be honest, I still sometimes fall prey to the latter nagging doubt. I think women often compare themselves to others and when they do they usually find themselves coming up short. We all know at least one mom who seemingly can do it all. I know many moms that I have seen that way. Meanwhile, I'm the mom of two boys who have worn the same clothes for three days straight and I didn't even notice until the third day. Sigh. We are who we are and we shouldn't feel the need to be like anyone else.
You will always be able to find someone who is better at something than you are. Stop focusing on that. Because there will also always be some things you do better than others. One of those things is loving your children. No one loves your kids like you do. Treasure that, build upon it. It is far more important that children be raised by parents who love them and teach them the gospel than it is that they learn the ways of the world.
One last thing... Each family has it's own personality. Homeschooling should bend to fit that personality, not the other way around. I don't homeschool so I can be like others and neither should you. Follow your instincts. Heavenly Father sent your kids to you for a reason. He knows you are best suited to meet your kids' needs. He trusts you. You should listen to Him.

I'm just not that mom!

So Leslie reads all these wonderful homeschooling blogs by these mothers who spend all their time loving what they do. And all I can think when I read them is, "I'm so not that mom". I don't want to read about how wonderful they are at everything and how much they love it all. Not when I spend so much of my time wondering why I'm doing this, if I'll ever be good at it, and if my kids are really learning anything. I don't want to hear from moms who can do it all and do it all brilliantly. I'm a complete disaster most of the time. I can't keep my house clean to save my life. It takes me a week to get the house clean enough that we can have people over. We seem to fall further behind our school schedule every passing day. Furthermore, I don't want to be that mom. I'm good with who I am, warts and all. I may not like my children every minute of every day, but I do love them more than words can ever say. That's why I homeschool. Like public school teachers and politicians everywhere say, "it's for the children!".

(Just needed a moment to vent!)

Salvador Dali

View of Cadaques with Shadow of Mount Pani 1917
oil on burlap

Michael and I were guests at an after hours event at The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg last week. It was the first time I had seen any of Dali's work in person, although I thought myself familiar with his art. I was absolutely amazed by the museum. Not only did I find the museum and the artwork fascinating, I was also intrigued by the man himself. The painting above showing Dali's love for his hometown, was done when he was just 13.

Metamorphosis of Narcissus 1937

I was surprised at how prolific an artist he was and how many different styles he used. While he is widely know for his surrealism, he had a passion for art in many forms even creating his own style which he called "Nuclear Mysticism". While the paining at the right is an example of surrealism, I have also included examples of his other styles. 

Cadaques, Dali's Hometown 1923 oil on canvas

Portrait of My Dead Brother 1963, oil on canvas

Salvador Dali Desk

The Hallucinogenic Toreador 1969-1970, oil on canvas

Dali developed a penchant for hiding things within his paintings. This is called the Hallucinogenic Toreador because he has hidden a bull fighter and his bull within the larger canvas. See if you can find them both.

I would to thank Ed Collins of Wallace Welch & Willingham for the invitation to visit The Dali Museum.

I so enjoyed my visit to the museum that I will be assembling a unit for my children.
Upon completion of the unit, we will take a field trip to the Dali Museum.

Method Schmethod

I am often asked about my 'method' of homeschooling. My method consists of trying to get through the day without the house burning down or a hospital visit. Honestly, if we can learn something, anything, without major calamity befalling anyone my day has been a success.

You would not believe how many times I hear from other women, "Oh, I could never homeschool. I don't have the patience" or something to that effect. That always cracks me up because I truly am the least patient person you will ever meet. I drive 90 miles an hour everywhere I go. I shout at other drivers. I can never get there (wherever there is) fast enough. I can't keep my house clean to save my life. We either clean or we do schoolwork. I try to do both often, but have very little success. I seem to always be on the verge of accomplishing my goals, but never quite get there.

The reality is that homeschooling is trying, difficult, and not about me at all. The reasons I homeschool have nothing to do with what's best for me and everything to do with what's best for my children. If I was doing what's best for me all my kids would be in boarding school and I would live in a spa, but where's the fun in that?

I homeschool because I love my children and want to protect them from the world for as long as I possibly can. I want them to be properly armored when they leave our home and venture into the lone and dreary world. When Tyler was in first grade, at a public school, I realized that I could either fight the school on his behalf or use the same amount of effort educating him myself. I don't want my children to associate learning with drudgery. I want them to know that gaining new knowledge is joyful. I want my children to be able to think for themselves. I want them to know how to find information and how to differentiate between lies and truth. Most importantly, I want my children to know God; not by what they read about Him in a book or what's taught to them by others. I want them to know Him by experiencing the world He created for them. I want my children to be able to be beacon's of light showing the world what a love of Christ and His teachings can do in one's life.

I want them to know that I loved them enough to do something for them that was hard for me. I want them to know that I see their worth, and that it is great, not just in the eyes of God, but in my eyes as well.