What Homeschooling Looks Like

Nicky is lying on the couch reading The Ransom of Red Chief by O Henry while Therese works on  grammar.  M-C is at her desk writing in her journal and Michael is in his room thinking about his temper (hey, I keep it real here).  I didn't have to worry about sending them back to school this morning.  I can let Therese do 9th grade grammar instead of 6th grade.  I can let Nicky read O Henry because Therese was reading him and Nicky thought it sounded exciting.  I can work with Michael on his temper and let Mary-Catherine journal when her mind takes her there.  I can take my migraine-addled head to bed knowing that my children will (probably) finish their schoolwork and that I don't have to set an alarm to pick them up at school.

I am blessed to have a husband who works so hard so that I can stay home and be a mother to my children (update: Michael just came out of his room and apologized for losing his temper - that didn't take long!).  I will have them for such a short period of time.  I am blessed to live in a country where I have the ability to live out my God-given role as mother and teacher.

Some homeschool days are the kind where I am tearing my hair out.  Thank goodness (given this headache), today is not one of them.  I am never tempted to send them to school, but I am sometimes tempted to send them all to their rooms.  Today, I am grateful to have them all around me in the living room (despite the fact that we have a beautiful schoolroom!), learning in the most natural environment there is.