Home Schooling And Housekeeping

A few years ago, I was all classical education minded and nothing else.  I was convinced that if I was to educate our children at home then we needed to use the classical approach because in my mind that was the best.  Years went by and more children came into our lives.  Life suddenly got busier and schooling was taking the majority of my day.  By the time it was time for housework, I was tired.  I was also either pregnant or nursing a baby during this time.  Let's just say, I started looking at other options and reading all the different styles of homeschooling and was impressed with the Charlotte Mason learning style.  My children loved to read and I loved reading to them.  We were all about living books.  During this time of questioning our philosophy of education, the Lord humbled me and taught me that it wasn't really about what style a person used to teach their children at home.  It was about attitude and creating a love for learning.  I was trying to impress and create a smart child with lots of rigorous work and ended up creating a dislike for most of our schooling.  So, I tried several different things and finally ended up landing on Sunlight.  It has been the best thing for our family.  We all love reading and some days it hardly feels as if we are really doing school.  The flexibility of the schedules is also what persuaded us.  We had the option of choosing either a four day schedule or a five day schedule.  We chose the four day schedule and love every minute of it.  This also makes it easier to balance housekeeping.  Our reading time usually takes no more than about 2 hours.  Most of the rest of their schooling is independent work with the exception of spelling and grammar.  For those two subjects we use Sequential Spelling and First Language Lessons and these both are so very easy.

Today, we were able to finish our schooling by lunch time for the most part and then make bagels, granola bars, practice sewing, and clean house, and cook dinner.  Not all days are like today.  Some days are still a struggle, but for the most part there is now a routine that we are satisfied with.  If you are unhappy with your curriculum, I suggest that you look around and find one that will best fit your schedule and your families likes.  One thing that I have learned is that it is not always about what learning style you chose or what curriculum you land with.  You have to go with what works for your family.

What's A Woman To Do?

I know that this sound silly.  Being a wife and mom are the most important job in the world and many days I wake up and ask myself, "what am I suppose to be doing?"  Does anyone else struggle with this?  Just yesterday I installed a clothes line and I feel productive.  Earlier in the week I completed a crocheted wash cloth and I feel industrious.  When I make bread and yogurt I feel delighted.  Growing up, I did not learn many homemaking skills, so this is all still new to me.  However, I am loving every minute.  This is all a big learning process and very often I feel as if I do not know what it is that I am suppose to be doing.  Do any of you have these same struggles?  Who taught you to be a homemaker?  What books have most influenced you in homemaking skills?