Best Day of Homeschool EVER!

As a mom raising my children I’ve come to realize that it’s a job that never ends. 

I've accepted that there’s never an end product you can look at and say, “I did that”. You never get to see the results.

Well, guess what? I was wrong.

My oldest son had a pretty minor experience Tuesday that made me realize that our goal for homeschooling him has been achieved.

You see all I've ever wanted is for my children to take in all available information but to think for themselves. Tuesday, Tyler did just that. It actually took me some time before I realized what had happened.

Holy cow! I’m actually making a difference in my children’s lives. I’m actually accomplishing something. I have a result!

You know, that might just have been the best day of homeschool EVER and Tyler isn't even here.

Will wonders never cease?

Best for me?

How could I have ever thought that homeschooling wasn't what's best for me? Because some of it has been hard? Well, of course it has.

Everything worth anything is hard.

Did I actually expect it to be easy?

Well, no, but... maybe I expected to have different problems than the ones that I've actually run into? I dunno. What I do know is that I am finally learning to really enjoy my children as they are rather than how I want them to be.

A month or so ago my granny reminded me how much I loved playing school when I was a little girl. I was, of course, always the teacher, and I did enjoy that game very much. However, not for even a split second did I ever actually want to be a public or private school teacher and I had never even heard of homeschooling. Yet, here I am. It's funny where life takes us, isn't it?

What's Best For Me?

I've often been asked why I homeschool. Usually I give a half joking answer along the lines of being a control freak who hates answering to any authority (which is a totally accurate description of me). I even frequently say that I homeschool because it's what's best for my children, but that it certainly isn't what's best for me.

You know what? That just isn't true.

Homeschooling is absolutely what's best for me.

I like the freedom and flexibility homeschooling provides my family. I absolutely love not having to ask the government for permission to take the day off and do something fun with my children. I love vacationing when everyone else is in school. I love being free to jump in the car and take a trip to Lexington, KY and Little Rock, AR because Michael has work in those places. Or being able to swiftly return to Florida because a beloved family friend has lost their battle with cancer.

I am free to teach my children what they should learn and protect them from what they shouldn't. I can truly be there for them when they need me. Childhood is so brief and so very important. One day my children will all be grown, leading their own lives, and raising their own children. I hope they will look back on their childhoods as being filled with love and learning rather than looking back on their lives in school.

Ultimately my children are learning about life by living it, not by reading about it in a book...and I love sharing that with them.

LDS Online Resources

I've decided to use resources and manuals created and provided by my church as the foundation for my children's education from here on out. I've provided the links to the free resources below for anyone interested.

Book of Mormon Resources
Book of Mormon Seminary Student Home Study Manual
Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher's Manual

Gospel Restoration and Church History Resources
Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Student Manual
Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual

Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual
Church History in the Fulness of Times Teacher Manual

Our Heritage

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Primary Manual

Other Resources
Faith in God for Boys
Faith in God for Girls

For Strength of Youth

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.