...and I lost it

I like to think I have a good grasp on things. A well-planned agenda, a weekly lesson planner, and enough web links to drive a sane person mad! A little coffee, a good prayer, and a heavenly song on my lips. And as fast as I had it, I lost it. If anyone tells you homeschooling is easy, they've never done it. And if they tell you it's a waste, they've never experienced it. But to tell you the day is hard, the nights can get long (especially if you build your own curriculum), and the trials and tribulations of everyday life is anything but organized... 

no truer words have been spoken. And more often than not, they circulate around most conventional homeschool households. Yes, the dishes in the sink will sometimes be left for a few hours. The floor may not be swept for a day or two, and oh my goodness, the laundry! I sometimes wonder if there aren't little minions running through the house simply trying on clothes and throwing them off as quick as lightning. The groceries have to be bought, the bathroom needs cleaning, the trash if over-flowing, the toilet paper roll is empty, the carpets need vacuuming, the poor dog (or dogs, in our case) need to go out, the toddler spilled the powder (again), and let's not forget the trip to the store for science experiment supplies, the library for that book you reserved, and then back to the store because you forgot the expo markers. All before 10 am! 

Homeschooling is hard. Homeschooling is trying. Homeschooling is not for the faint at heart. But for our family, it is the peanut butter to our jelly. It is the kool-aid to our sugar. It is the blood to our lives - because I can't imagine a day of chaos any better. 

But when I lose my cool, it shows. I rant, I gripe at the little things (like the chores not being done), or I really lose my cool and yell. Not at anyone in particular, but at everyone in general. Then I have to remove myself from the situation, reflect on why I am really feeling aggravated, deduce whether or not I can change anything, and either a.) change it, or b.) apologize for throwing a tantrum like a toddler who can not longer reach the baby powder! And more often than not, it's B. 

Parent's, it's OK to need to take a personal time out. Fifteen minutes of alone time to simply refocus. After all, your kids are relying on you to teach them how to handle stress. But if you are like me and find that as quick as you had it, you lost it, take the time to explain why you did, how you worked through it, and why it's important to acknowledge what you can and cannot change. Asking your kids to forgive you for your grown up tantrum is also a great way to emphasize how important it is in recognizing personal faults. 

When it's all said and done, it's an 'eh' issue: what do you do? I choose to own my good and bad decisions and I owe it to myself and my kids to acknowledge when I'm in the wrong. We are parents first, teacher's second, but human always and we humans are not above mistakes. 

Until next time, 
LaVonda