Thriving rather than Surviving

Here we are now at the start of our second quarter as a homeschool family.  There have been interesting challenges to overcome but so far everyone is still alive and thriving in our home environment.  Here's a quick flashback of our journey thus far...

Challenge One:  How do we do this whole thing?
Simply put....one day at a time.  I'm a list maker and a planner by nature.  Homeschooling directly challenges that nature because the beauty(frustration) is that learning is flexible.  Flexible.  Bendable.  Moveable.  Some days school follows the planned schedule precisely.  Other days it's not even close.  The key is that the boys are learning.  A LOT.  They are laughing.  A LOT.  They are excited about their subjects.  A LOT.  Really isn't that the goal?  Raising eager learners.

Challenge Two:  How do we do this with Mommy working part-time?
Insert Grandma.  Praise God for my mom and her love of teaching.  She has jumped right in to teach the boys on the 3 days per week that I work.  If it's a lesson they are struggling with she saves it for me to work with them on after I get home at 2:45.  Of course I would rather be home every day with them but right now we need that little extra money from my part-time job so we make it work.  So the lesson taught to this Mommy?  Sometimes it takes a village to raise a child.  (Oh wait, didn't someone already say that?  LOL)

Challenge Three:  School is over for the day...now what do I do with them?
We learn.  We continue to teach.  Character lessons.  Responsibility lessons.  We do chores.  We play Minecraft (this game can be a HUGE teaching tool).  We go on field trips.  We play with other homeschool friends.  We spend hours at the library, outside, at the park, on a walk, taking pictures, exploring museums, watching documentaries, grocery shop to learn budgeting, drawing, singing...exploring God's creation all around us.

I am learning more about my children.  They are learning more about me.  About Daddy.  About Grandma.  About God.  About the world.  This is a blessing.  Yes, it can be a challenge at times.  Yes, I still have days when I want to throw in the towel but those are fewer and fewer.  We might just be addicted to this.  To each other.