Homeschooling Mom or Training Ambassadors?
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 1 Cor 9:24
I’ve heard quite a few homeschooling moms lately rejoicing that the school year is done. Now, as I am nearing the end of my second decade of homeschooling, with more years to go, I understand the need for a break from the lesson plans and the grading papers and the finding 103 ways to help a child get fractions or consonant blends. BUT I think my viewpoint is just a bit different. I don’t see myself as a mother who homeschools – I see myself as someone who is training and raising her children to take their God-ordained place in society as Ambassadors for His glory.
I am not saying I don’t get tuckered…because I most certainly do! But I think, once you’ve established that you are in this for the long haul, your viewpoint changes and the kind of tired you are is different. I sometimes find myself tiring of the thing we’ve been studying all year and really looking forward to starting something new. I see it as a badge of honor that we’ve finished something and get to move on to the next phase.
In the past, we’ve done the regular academic schedule, with still working through the summers. And at the end of every semester, I needed:
- some time off
- time to myself
- time where no on called me
- time where I could sleep or bathe or just be silent
- time to renew
- time to listen to God
I have found that the schedule we’ve used this year has helped tremendously in keeping the tiredness out of my everyday functioning. We’ve done 3 weeks of school and then break for a week. We took 3 weeks off at Christmas and will do every other week in the summer. I have been able to keep up more on housework projects that needed to be done and I’ve gotten a bit more sleep than normal! I don’t feel like I need some extra time alone to regroup – although I may take the time just to spend a more concentrated time with the Lord (I love those times!) – something I don’t get to do at home.
Just some musings from a Marathon Homeschool Mom.
I really like the every other week during the summer idea. Think we’ll use that, thanks.