Homeschooling has, for us, contributed to a more serene family environment where “forced” anything is pretty much a thing of the past. Instead of dealing with shoulds, we now deal with wants and coulds.
No more arguments about homework, no more heart-wrenching, tear streaming episodes at bedtime when the realisation suddenly hit that “you mean I gotta go back AGAIN!”
No more fights with teachers about labels being counter to her actual abilities, no more pointless and frustrating meetings with administration representatives who didn’t know my daughter from Eve and who would have been very hard pressed to pick her out of a line-up.
Now, 15 months later, we live much slower paced and more meaningful lives with each other and the world around us.
Everday and everything we do is a learning experience, a chance to grow together by being inspired by each other’s interests and genuine curiosity about our environment.
Homeschooling has made it possible for a much more peaceful and joyful experience of family life. Absolutely…
AND
Sometimes it makes me want to pull my hair out and willingly ante up both arms in trade for a full 12 hours by myself!
I used to have me time! Real me time, as in the house was empty…I could lock the doors, pull the blinds, turn off the phones and do whatever I wanted, not that I did.
I did things like laundry, grocery shopping, meal planning, worrying, setting up meetings with administrators and volunteering in school.
But oh, hindsight…I COULD have done whatever I wanted. Though I concede to the fact that I’m not even sure what that means exactly, it still sounds delicious doesn’t it…”Dooooo whaaaaaateveeeeer Iiiii waaaaant.” (Especially if you say it like that.)
Can I do that now? Not bloody likely!
Oh sure, I might get a couple hours here and there where Hubby and Daughter are out on one of their adventures, but of course (and somedays I’m sure it’s a personal consipracy against me – every 26 days or so I’m absolutely convinced of it) Son’s schedule will miraculously make it so he’s arriving home very shortly after their depature.
Not that I want to “dance naked in my living room” (Alanis), not sure I ever really wanted to. Yikes, not even I need to imagine that…though Hubby to his credit, would no doubt LOVE it.
What I would like is the opportunity now and again to have enough time to turn the radio up really loud and just dance around the room to entertain myself…without being walked in on and laughed at.
Or read a book for more than a page and half before being interrupted by a, “Mom?” or “Dear?”
Or take a bath without someone knocking and saying, “Your sister’s on the phone, do want me to take a message?”
Or, like MaryP, drink a hot cup of tea from start to finish without having to reheat it.
Or write a whole paragraph before someone walks up behind me and says, “Whatcha doin’?”
Or watch a whole movie (about Medieval England) whilst narry a query present “Who’s that?” or “Why are they chopping off her head?”
Is that really too much to ask?
You need some me-time! Give yourself a half-day a week out of the house (or alone in the house), and you will miraculously start to feel MUCH better about the time you spend with everyone else.
Thus speaks the Voice of Experience. (Whose tea is never hot from 7:30 to 5:00.)
[...] wisely commented to yesterday’s post that I might start instituting a weekly half-day “Me Time” [...]
Thanks Mary,
As you can see by the trackback and today’s post, I took your comment to heart.