Tanya in the Trenches

What have you learned about yourself through the process of homeschooling?
That I actually like being around my kids practically 24/7!


What have you found the most difficult within the home/outside influence or comments?
A lot of "pressure to perform". I often feel that there's so much to prove to the skeptics- their marks have to be better than when in public school, they have to be better socially adjusted than "normal", and still be perfectly well mannered too. Also, scheduling can be a challenge, partly due to trying to be overly flexible versus trying to actually be productive. Stuff like, taking time off mid-week for service/ to help others out etc. and then be frowned upon for trying to get caught up on a weekend or evening.


A typical day in your life goes something like this.....
We get up around 8:30-ish. Everyone is responsible for feeding themselves, getting ready for the day. I work in our home office a bit/ do housework etc., and school starts at a leisurely 9:30 or so. L.A. and Math are always priority each day, and are usually done by noon. Monday is a full school day. Tuesdays are piano lessons, library, and meeting night. Thursdays are spent rounding up my sisters, and hanging out while the boys do their classes at Argyll. Friday is catch up (AKA Science) day. I've been working on Wed. afternoons being my midweek service time. Mix in meeting prep. times, meetings, family service, social stuff, housework, and my home office work, I'm pretty booked up! We also try to walk downtown (Calmar) regularly, and workout in the basement for exercise.


What has been your biggest surprise/enjoyment in homeschooling?
I was surprised at how many tools and options are available. I love seeing my kids learn, and to teach them, and seeing them gain more self-worth. LOVE the freedom to have a great morning every day (not so early), and to flex with life's events. Also that we are more free to travel and take work with us.... I could go on for a while!


What do you wish someone had told you when you embarked on this process?
I had lots of help that way, but also struggled the first year with always questioning whether or not I was doing "enough" or educating the right way. I finally came up with a weekly checklist chart for each boy to check off with stickers so they could see what needed to be done, and this has worked wonders with our chronic "We're ALWAYS behind" complaint of most of last year.


What general category of schooling does your family fall into?
Pretty much school at home. Cam recognizes the readers, and science program that he did when he was in public school (Levi is 2 years behind him). They didn't respect the schooling concept until I actually set up a School Room, charts, cubbies, globe, bins, and all!!


Describe your first year in the trenches?
Exciting, scary, frustrating.... biggest challenge is figure out what motivates and what doesn't. (Went through a lot of bribery treats last year!!) The most surreal moment for me was when everyone was marching off to public school in September, and we went off to camp in a BC orchard for a couple weeks!


What were some main factors to why you decided to homeschool?
Because I CAN. I spent a year debating the pros and cons, thinking about how things would be better/worse as each situation in public school came up. I've also watched the highs and the lows of others for years now. I realized how very short childhood is, and how great it would be to improve their quality of life, if only just by them not having to drag out into the cold early every winter morning, sick or not, etc... And I was having trouble coming up with non-peanut butter sandwiches for lunches. The bonus of being able to travel quite freely.... could go on and on!


How long have you been homeschooling?
Just started our 2nd year.