Parenting is hard. Homeschooling isn't.
That's my naive view of the moment. What's so hard about reading books together? I do that just about every night before bedtime. What's so hard about drilling kids on their colors and encouraging them to count? No, no... homeschooling is cake.
Parenting is rough! Good grief. Why didn't anyone tell me!?!
...wait... oh, right. You did.
I often giggle along while reading my Other Posts of Note; so many great stories of how parenting is both a delight and a strain. But, come on!
...
You've probably gathered this by now, but yesterday was not a good day.
Not good at all.
Bad attitudes all around (yep, me too). A constipated child (two hours of wailing and gnashing of teeth to get a "poopy" out. ...sign me up1).
<sigh>
His mercies are new every morning. And that is a very good thing.
Seriously: If you can survive your children till they get to formal school age, homeschooling will be cake.
Okay, sure, I'm sure there will be days where homeschooling is difficult. I know there will be. But posterity is kicking my posterior right now.
Homeschooling is not hard. It's the parenting that's killing me.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
1Thankfully, my wife handled that. She's a saint.
2This is a joke. A very good joke, I might add. Very funny. To me. Since it's possible you haven't played Portal just take my word for it. Or smile and shake your head. My wife does.
Oh my, does it ever! I've got a long way to grow as both a husband and a father...
~Luke
I see your point. Parenting exposes our selfish natures. Homeschooling gives us extra practice denying our flesh.
Jenn
Thank you all for your comments and encouragement. The past couple days have been much better.
...which is very, very nice!
~Luke
Agreed. Homeschooling is far easier on it's worst day than staying up all night with a croupy baby, and wondering at what point you go to the ER. Or looking into a child's eyes and wondering if the lying thing he or she has been engaging in recently is the sign of a major character flaw that won't ever fully resolve. Or telling your child that their beloved pet has died. ((sigh))
I'll take battles over math and drilling grammar any day.
Yep. What they said. The problems change, one thing gets easy and the next thing is there waiting. And yes, it is the parenting aspects of homeschooling that make it hard. I, for ex, made my oldest son cry yesterday during math. Really great moment, huh? But 'twas definitely a parenting moment, not a hs'ing moment. ...sigh... One day I'll learn.
I am chuckling out loud... and I will say it again...parenting is not for the fainthearted. And now from years of experience I can say it doesn't really get easier the problems just change. Just as you think you have mastered something they grow up a little bit and you need to have mastered the next parenting tool... I hope today is so much better. And the funny thing is you will mostly remember the good times (even if they are only moments), and you will be able to laugh at the bad times... We are funny that way!!!
An apple a day, Luke. That, or some dark Karo syrup. Really. :]
I completely agree with you. I don't think your view is naive at all.
I love every second of homeschooling. Parenting is the tough part.
Parenting is definitely hard. And I think it's the parenting aspect of homeschooling that is the hardest. Dealing with attitude problems, sibling issues, etc. are the hardest things about homeschooling for me. And they would be hard if I weren't homeschooling. The all.the.time aspect of homeschooling gets hard too.
Unless of course your children are dyslexic...then homeschooling is hard too. :) Worthwhile, of course, and sometimes exciting, fun, wonderful...but hard. Kinda like parenting. ;-) But what do I know.