Mom Monday Week 7 – When Homeschooling Makes You Cry

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When was the last time you cried? For me, it was last week. I don’t cry often. I tear up often, but I don’t weep. You know, like, with tears coming down my cheeks. But men’s figure skating touched me so much the other night, I was weeping. What does this have to do with homeschooling? Everything.

Jeremy Abbott falls during the Olympic Games in Sochi

Jeremy Abbott fell during the men’s long program at the Sochi Olympics. But he got up and finished the program.

Homeschooling can be intense – like the Olympics. Many are called, few are chosen. Few can put up with the pressure. Much of the pressure we bring upon ourselves. Injuries happen. Emotional injuries, mostly, for us. One homeschooling mom who graduated her two children told me that we don’t know how angry we are until we homeschool.

Mom Monday Week 7 When Homeschooling Makes You Cry

So much of ourselves comes out in the process of imparting knowledge to our children. Stuff that we did not even know was there. It takes us by surprise. We wonder if we can move on. And we have to move on. In spite of our mistakes and our shortcomings and our failings, we must pick ourselves back up, apologize to our children, and start another day.  Continue reading »


Mom Monday 6 – Thoughts on the Olympics

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The Winter Olympics have started in Sochi, Russia, and it is impossible to ignore them. I have let the children watch a bit of the competition. They also colored some Olympics-themed pictures. I suppose it counts for arts and crafts in our homeschool.

Mom Monday Series on Homeschool Ways - Thoughts on the Olympics

Random thoughts about the Winter Olympics:

  • Sochi is so close to Romania, my home country – just on the other side of the Black Sea. It makes me a bit homesick.
  • The P&G commercial brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. “For teaching us that falling only makes us stronger, thank you, Mom.” I must keep this link close by for those days when I get tired of the mom job. 
  • I can’t imagine what these olympians’ moms are feeling. Overwhelming pride and joy, of course, among other things like fear of injury.
  • During the Opening Ceremony, one of the American commentators remarked that Russia’s most amazing cultural accomplishments (art, music, ballet, literature) happened during turbulent times. The lesson for us? Adversity stirs up creativity. Those tough homeschooling days you have now and then, they could be the very times you produce your best results.
  • I don’t think Ashley Wagner should have been given the privilege of representing the US at Sochi. I understand the issue is not black and white. I wish her well, but I predict she will not medal in her individual event. Have you seen her competition?
  • The snowboarding dudes and dudettes are an inspiration. They are so relaxed.
  • Sage won the Snowboarding Slopestyle event by bringing in his own style. It teaches me that I need to take this thing called homeschooling and make it my own. I don’t need to be a purist classical homeschooler or a purist Charlotte Mason homeschooler or a purist anything. Instead, I need to learn what can be done and adapt it to our own situation. Wait, I’m already doing that. I am an eclectic homeschooler.

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