This year, 2022, has been very difficult and stressful for me. Learning how to parent a teenager pushed me to the limit. It revealed things in my character which are not flattering. Starting high school as a homeschool parent – that was another difficult task. Last but not least, we started a new routine of driving to co-op, orchestra rehearsals, violin and harp lessons. That is a lot of time away from home and traditional academics.

The Tennessean Hotel and the Sunsphere in Knoxville, TN – we spend a lot of time in this city now.

In a way, I feel like saying, “Good riddance, 2022,” but that would miss the point. Instead, I should say, “Good lessons, 2022.” Homeschooling is not only for our children. We, the parents, learn plenty in the process, and not just about history, science, grammar, or math.

As I wrote two months ago, character trumps academics. If we do not learn lessons about our own character in the process of homeschooling, we are wasting our time.

Harp lesson

It takes a great deal of courage to look in the mirror of our circumstances and words and discover our character flaws. Then, even more courage to acknowledge our mistakes and ask for forgiveness from our children.

Helpful Books and Beyond

Books like Age of Opportunity, Feeding The Mouth That Bites You, Digital Minimalism, and Reset Your Child’s Brain revolutionized our family routines and the way I approach parenting.

For his birthday, our son received several interesting Rubik’s cubes like this one.

Our son dropped piano and picked up a new interest – speedcubing – and our daughter replaced piano with harp. They went back to playing the violin with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra after a two-year hiatus (due to the mask requirement).

KSYO in concert at the Tennessee Theater

As life returned to a pre-pandemic normal, we realized the children are two years older and, in the process, have become teenagers. They are young adults and many things have changed. We must change with them as we look at five more years with them at home. It is a brave new world.

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