Kendra wrote an excellent post titled "What Non-Homeschoolers May Not Know." Since I'm a homeschooling mom, her post got me thinking about how blessed I am to have a great support system.
Our extended family is very supportive of our decision to teach our children at home. I know that they would do whatever they could to be a help if we lived closer.
As a pastor's wife, I am thankful that the people at our church do not place unreasonable expectations on me. They realize that my days are spent schooling my children, and they do not expect me to "do everything." They respect our schedule.
I've never actually had anyone make a negative comment to me about our choice to homeschool. Most of the time the only reaction I get is, "How do you do it all?" My reply is, "I don't!"
As Kendra mentioned in her post, a homeschooling mom can't do it all! Sometimes, though, I feel that I should be able to be SuperMom. After all, I am home almost all of the time. I want to live in a spotless house and prepare three feasts a day, but that isn't reality for me. I don't feel pressured by others, but I am guilty of placing pressure on myself.
Too often I lose sight of the fact that I have the most wonderful day-job in the world; I get to spend all day teaching and training my kids! While it's not at all a glamorous job, it is one that will have a lifelong impact on my precious children. We have "bad days" when school just doesn't go well or someone is really in need of an attitude adjustment (sometimes it's MOM!), but when I take a breather and think of my children's moldable minds and spirits, I am so thankful to have them at home, even if the house is never perfectly clean, the laundry basket is never empty, and I don't get a break until they're all fast asleep.
If you homeschool your children, remember that you don't have to meet the expectation of others. If you are doing your best with the time God gives you each day, the needful things will be accomplished.
Some of you reading this may think that homeschooling moms just sit around all day realaxing. If you "traded jobs" with them for 48 hours, I think your opinion would be forever changed. If you know someone who homeschools, ask the Lord to show you how you can be a blessing to them. If you don't do anything else, at least pray for homeschooling families. My family needs all the prayer we can get! :o)Labels: Homeschool Corner