Ever feel like your kids are just taking you over the edge, of wherever?
Last night Savanna Rose cries as if someone has just been murdered because she forgot to bring her spelling words home. She screams, "I WILL MISS FUN FRIDAY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!" Well, so as not to miss "fun Friday" (the teacher does things with them such as make mud pies and all kinds of other stuff), we call the kids in her class to get the words. We get through all of that, and she has to do not only this week's homework, but last week when she was sick. (always happens during revival week, wouldn't you know it?)
Well, then we wake up this morning and as I'm getting her breakfast she makes the declaration, "Uh, Mom...didn't I tell you it was PICTURE DAY today?" I think I was about to explode. So...we dash into the bathroom and start doing an "up do" on her hair (looked nice if I do say so myself) and she grabbed her best dress out of the closet. I say, "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WEAR THIS? IT'S GYM DAY!" She says, "Oh, Miss Porter told us to bring a change of clothes." Ohhhhh...off o pack THAT.
How I got the child out the door today I do not know, but we did, very successfully.
At times my boys tell me at like 10:30 PM...uh, Mom, could you run to Walmart? I need string and a posterboard, for this project that we are doing in school tommorrow. Meanwhile I'm sitting there in my jammies having just gotten out of the tub.
DOES THIS EVER HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE, OR AM I CRAAAAZYYY?
Just venting a bit, also laughing but realizing...this is small potatoes. All in all we are SO BLESSED!
Oh my soul! Some days I wonder if I can keep my sanity till bed time, I look at the clock and it's like 10:30 AM! The good thing about home schooling is that your kids are always with you, the bad thing is....YOUR KIDS ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU!!!! I think you all know that I love being with my girls, and at least with home schooling you can be flexable and we do not have to go to the Wal-mart in our jammies. But, At the end of the day, I do tend to retreat to my room and put my face in the pillow, and scream! Then, I put on Magnum, PI, escape, regroup, pray, and go back into the insanity of the living room, and hopfully am able to create a path from the door to the kitchen for my DH who comes home after midnight. Oh, after breaking up a few fights! (please see "homeschooling does not gaurentee perfect kids, DUH!)
I feel your pain Deanna. Having four girls and one bathroom can also cause insanity! That's a whole other topic!!!
Good Luck! Love you! lw
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...... Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I never said anything. And then, they came for ME, and there was no one left to speak up. Martin Neimoller, German Pastor, WW2
To be honest with you, that was one of the main things that drove me over the edge with homeschooling. My kids were in my face 24/7 and we never got a break from each other, and I felt like I would have a nervous breakdown. There was instant peace in our home the second we put our kids back in school...BUT...I realize that for those whom God speaks to homeschool there is peace when they do that, because God has spoken to them about it.
You know, when we homeschooled, we didn't do it for the right reasons. When we Christian-schooled, we didn't do it for the right reasons either. That's why our kids were so miserable, and so were we. (Don't misunderstand me, those two choices are wonderful when it's what God is calling you to do...what He desires for your family.)
God never told me to take my kids out of public school and try either one of those avenues, but we did it because of pressure/influence from people. And, our family was miserable in it because it wasn't right for us. In the situation we were in, it was not the best thing for our children. They did not thrive, and we were not at peace. I should have removed them mid-school year and corrected the situation but I thought (wrongly) at that time, that transition mid year would be harder on them. Wrong.
As soon as we did as God had asked us to, all the pieces fell into place and my children began to thrive. Larry and I were at peace. Our family had our life back.
In the same way, I believe if God told you to homeschool and you disobeyed and had your kids in any school, your family would be chaos and you would not have any peace. It's like Jonah -- you would be living in the whale's belly until you decided to repent and obey.
I have learned more than ever, we must seek the Lord's heart for our family. I admire people like you (LW) who have heard that voice as well, and are accomplishing it so well!!! It's awesome.
Just thought I would tell you where our family has come from. I believe many Moms are in turmoil because they listen to what their friends or church people are saying is best -- they don't know how to pray and seek God for themselves and get the answers. Know what I mean? I am not inferring that about anybody on this board, i am simply saying, that's where I was. That was my mistake. And my disobedience cost me a few years of misery until I listened to God again regarding His will for my particular family.
You know, I think we all have hit our heads on that same old rock! The obedience thing. We do tend to fall into what is trendy and not what God calls us to. Like, we may want to do the solos, but God calls us elsewhere. We still want to sing because it's fun, but that's the wrong reason. If God calls us to help in the kitchen for a while, then that's where we need to go.
My girlfriend Mary was in the paper again today for an article on homeschooling. She said something about a flood of calls after Columbine. She told the parents that you should homeschool due to a calling and a long term commitment to your child's educational excellence. You should not homeschool out of a temporary fear because when it goes away, you will then begin to yern for that big yellow bus!
Anyway, this craziness will go on no matter what the educational choice. Our lifestyle lends itself to homeschooling very well, but yours does not. We have less stress of like dealing with the shcedules of school and stuff like that, but the house tends to get very messy by the end of the day. A major source of stress for the DH!
You have always been a very organized person, so more organization on your part is not going to solve it, but maybe your boys could organize better. They could put reminders for the week on the fridge so as to cut down on last minute trips to the Wal-mart. I know my oldest has always been a very poor organizer and time manager. At 17, we are still working on it. Her life would not be so last minute, and by extension, my life as well, if she would manage her time alot better. This makes me nuts!! We were late for church again last night because of her!
Just know that one day, a new season will come when it's just you and Larry again. Sitting on the porch complaining about your taxes in Florida and listening to the quiet! Being able to pour out all you have into your ministry together, something I know you enjoy!! Your kids will always be your kids, but they will not always be making your, or my home crazy. Love you!!! lw
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...... Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I never said anything. And then, they came for ME, and there was no one left to speak up. Martin Neimoller, German Pastor, WW2
