A Post For Me to Remember

Usually I write my posts with my children in mind, since I hope to one day give them these journals in CD form, but this post is really for me.

Homeschooling has its ups and downs. It has given me the opportunity to learn about myself in a way that perhaps I may never have given myself the chance to learn. One thing that I have learned is that I really enjoy teaching. I'm not talking about handing over a workbook and saying, "Here you go, finish page so and so..." But I'm talking about really teaching.

I've discovered that I like teaching most things relating to Language Arts, specially English. I enjoy teaching other subjects, some more than others, but English has inspired me! From seeing pretty handwriting to hearing them laugh while they enjoy reading, to correcting grammar, and listening to them recite poems. It is like seeing a flower bloom in slow motion, and I love the scenery.

It almost follows my belief in a quote I read that says "Excellence is not an accident." Neither is good penmanship nor is quality,thoughtful writing.

I've replaced a few books on my sidebar for some books that I believe come with excellence in mind. One is First Language Lessons. This is really a good beginning grammar book. The author does a very good job leading a parent in teaching grammar. The further we progress in this book the more impressed I am. We are in the first couple of weeks into the 2ND grade material or the second half of the book.

I would have never realized I enjoyed teaching about helping verbs and that I would relish in hearing beautiful poetry being recited by my kids. That proofreading sentences and seeing cursive flow would actually motivate me in our homeschooling. I thought I was more the medical type. Boy, was I wrong! My husband even mentioned it to me one day. He said, "You know, Linda. You really like to teach them..."

Yeah, I guess I do. When the laundry is not piling high and I can come up with good dinners and can keep my house in order - those are the best days for me. But I've had days where I just wanted to go somewhere and bury my head and cry. Where I thought perhaps this task we had undertaken was going to be too hard. That is why I'm writing this post. Because I know I will have long days again and I want to come back and read this. I want to remember what I have really liked about homeschooling. I want to encourage myself to know that these years will soon be gone and what I instill in them now will not so easily be removed because I have loved teaching them to love to learn. And they will not go away empty or void. Some things can be forgotten, but there are some things love writes within our very soul.

There is no doubt in my mind that God will be faithful to write within their hearts things that only these years could have inspired within their mind and soul. That is my prayer for homeschooling my children.

So Linda, when you read this again someday soon, dry your tears and thank God in heaven for His faithfulness to you. Thank Him for giving you a love to learn and for instilling within you the love to teach. These are priceless tools in homeschooling.