So I remember on the not so great days

I have been pleasantly surprised so far this school year, all 6 days of it, that #4 hasn't really wanted to be in the school room with us.  At the beginning of the year last year I was still holding her in my lap for the majority of school, and by the end of the year she was still sitting next to me constantly wanting something to draw or a book or something else to do.  I was pretty good at continuing a lesson for another child while helping her with what she wanted to do.  But before we started school this year I asked #4 if she was going to "do" school with us in the school room or if she was going to play by herself.  She promptly answered that she wanted to play, and she has.  She's only wandered into the school room a couple of times and when she has she hasn't stayed long.

This is what she does during school

Yesterday was one of the times she happened to come in while we were working.  #3 was finishing up with the blocks she uses for math and #4 grabbed them and was sitting on the floor playing with them.  So I'm sitting at the school table with the three older ones working and #4 on the floor playing quietly and I had a beautiful moment of "Oh yeah--this is why we homeschool."

I was surrounded by my children.  We had gotten up when we were ready to get up, not because we had to be at school on time.  Breakfast was eaten, a few chores accomplished, and a few pages read in some books because we weren't having to rush around.  There was no sending them off for the day for someone else to enjoy them.  School was started with a prayer and Bible Study because it is our school, and God is definitely allowed to be there.  They were all learning something--something I just happened to have taught them.  All by myself.  No worrying if they were being taught untruths or what they were learning from their peers.  They were peaceful.  We were a family unit, working together for something that was important to us.  It was a fantastic bubble of thought. 

See homeschooling has its ups and downs.  So far this year, again, all 6 days of it, there have only been ups.  But seeing as this is my 7th year homeschooling I know the bad days will eventually show up.  And when those bad days come I want to be able to remember that moment yesterday and remind myself of why we do what we do!

And just in case any of you know nothing about me and now think I am some sort of saint, let me just say that today #4 decided she wanted to be in my lap, and then on the chair next to me, and then my lap, and then the chair, and then color, and then draw, and then erase and I was thoroughly annoyed, although I managed to not let it show.  Small victories!