Friday, May 24, 2013

Removing The Teacher Hat.

Yesterday, I shut my books and removed my teacher hat. I am finished with home schooling. Twenty Five years and it was all over in a blink of an eye. Peter kept asking, " Mom, what are you going to do?" I think it was harder on him. It was rather anti-climatic. Just the sound of the closing of a book. When I started, I only did it for one year. I never meant to like it nor did I expect for it to change me. Some things I learned looking back were simple.

1. Teach to the students strengths. A boy is never going to sit very long. So do a little school and then let them climb trees, and run and make bows and arrows and build adobe bricks and make movies and play with Legos.

2. Teaching at home means, the house is never going to be perfect, laundry is going to pile up and next to buying books, the food bill just keeps growing because kids at home eat three meals a day with snacks. All day.

3. Never compare yourself to others. Teaching at home is going to be what fits your style and your personality. To compare yourself is like shooting yourself in the foot. What works for someone who had two kids isn't going to work if you have six. If you have boys and your friend has girls you will go crazy because girls like to sit and boys like to climb. Or at least it was in my house.

4. We took lots of camping trips. Because we could get the kids away by themselves. We could hike and explore and at night when everyone was in sleeping bags we could talk.

5. Talking. There were some days when all we did at school was talk. It is still that way. Listening and talking is very important. I think sometime more important than the curriculum I  used

.Teaching at home meant long hours with children. Date night was the most important day of the week to me.
It is easy to forget your marriage when you are busy with young children. After our sixth was born, we hit that wall. We both had been going off in our own directions and we had grown apart without realizing we had. I woke up one day and knew that my life was in shambles, my husband would rather work than be home and I wanted to be a good wife and a good mother and teacher. I was none of them. I began my journey back by getting on my knees begging God to change me. We hired a babysitter who came once a week, and we began dating. We fell in love all over again and thankfully, putting my marriage before kids and homeschooling was the best decision I ever made. Home schooling made me see that I couldn't teach without God first, or without my husband and marriage next and then teaching became so much easier. The kids became more secure and life began to work.

I don't know what new doors God will open for me. I feel like a person just learning to walk. I will take one step at a time and I will look around at the scenery for awhile. But like every thing else I am sure it will be quite a ride full of surprises all along the path. Today, begins my summer vacation.

Thank you for coming along,
~Kim~

16 comments:

Alica said...

Congratulations on finishing an important chapter of your life! I'm sure you have mixed feelings...and I hope the next chapter is just as fulfilling as this one! :)

Julia said...

I'm glad that you are finished homeschooling and that you are ready to start a new adventure but I hope that you will enjoy your summer vacation first. Congratulation on 25 years of homeschooling. I know that it must have been tough at times.

Now you can concentrate on making your marriage something even more special. I'm glad that you realized that you had to work at making the marriage work. It's a whole lot of hard work sometimes...

I read something the other day ( and I can't remember if it was on a blog or a forward) that made me laugh but for some it's perhaps sound true.

It went something like this. When you are first married, the only things that matters are the heart and diamond and later on all you want is a club and a spade....

I an envious of your retirement. I'm still working in calf poop and scrubbing S*** from calf pens at 66. Not a glamorous career after raising my family and running my own business for 20 years. Yet, when I'm doing the lowly chores, I try to live in the moment and it helps giving meaning to what I do. The operating word here is I try to live in the moment... sometimes though...hmm.

Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
JB



Kessie said...

Maybe you can get some rest now! I mean, gosh, a wedding and finishing school--those are major milestones. Definitely relax for a while.

A. Has a bad headcold so we're just resting.

Debbie said...

lots of changes, no school, no wedding planning = new beginnings. you know what they say, when one door closes a window (or two) opens!!

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

That's a lifetime of learning... God has carried you and your family in a beautiful way, and strengthened all of it as only He does! :) This is a precious testimony Kim, and I have no doubt that the chapters ahead will be every bit as rewarding and that the new challenges will be exciting as well. Well done my friend!

Susan said...

So impressed -- what an achievement! Congrats!
New adventures await. An exciting time for you and hubby.

Enjoy.

Meg said...

Gosh, just like that its over. How weird. Thank you for posting this, I needed to read it. Sometimes I try to push them to do stuff because I feel like they should match other kids, and it just ends in everyone crying and being frustrated.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

What an exciting time in your life. Two milestones, and a new path to forge. Congratulations!

TexWisGirl said...

congratulations, kim. and to your students, too. you are never idle. you will find another hat or hats to wear.

Primitive Stars said...

Congrats Kim, way to go girl.....two milestones are behind you and moving down a new path......Enjoy Memorial Day weekend, Francine.

camp and cottage living said...

Kim
I think it's going to be exciting to see what the Lord has in mind for you now!
I think you deserve an award, for sure.
Twenty-five years is amazing. I wonder if it's a record for such a thing?

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

Good for you Kim. That's a wonderful accomplishment. I love what you said about teaching to children's individual strengths. Your kids were very lucky.

Nellie said...

What a momentous time for you, Kim! God will lead you in the direction that is best for you! One step at a time is a healthy approach, in my opinion. Blessings to you! xo Nellie

Debbie said...

Wow...what a good feeling this must be! What an accomplishment. And a whole lifetime of memories to go with it. And you just know God has something new and exciting for your next season in life as well. But I think a little relaxing is in order first! haha Enjoy this 3 day week-end!

Mary Ann said...

This is the very first "real" description of someone who has home-taught that I have ever read! You sound so wise...I don't know that I would have had the patience to do this for my kids... Congratulations on completing the educations (through high school) of six! What an accomplishment!

Homeschool on the Croft said...

I'm a bit late with my comment ... it's my Friday night catch-up:)

Well, well ... 25 years. Good for you. I really loved all the 'what I learned' stuff you wrote. Could I 'interview you on my blog some day, and ask you this stuff. I'd love as many people as possible to read what you wrote here.

Or a guest blog (is that what folks do? I'm not sure how all the intricacies of blogworld work!)
Anne x