Even before we had children sometime in 2014 we wanted to homeschool because of the benefits we’ve heard it brings – how it shapes lifelong values and character and instill a solid foundation of faith for the kids. But a few years into parenting, just “wanting” is not enough to sustain us in this educational path we’ve decided to tread.
Our homeschooling is less than ideal. I thought that our eldest would automatically enjoy it like a plug and play kind of thing. I thought that he would look forward to our learning time, eager with a smile and a pencil in hand. But my head was probably in the clouds. I think that my ideas of how to go about it was far from fostering a love for learning.
Learning in a traditional school, I imagined a traditional set up but just inside a home. A fixed schedule, a little break, an excited student (on some days like i was then) and the best bonus – the full attention of a teacher to answer all sorts of questions immediately. All materials that I like are around me – pens, papers, sketch pads, new books. The comfort and coziness of home. The nearness of everything familiar especially to a first grader who didn’t have to go to a big school and navigate the new environment, new faces, a filled up schedule etc.
But boy was i wrong especially since i was handling a boy. This is probably harder than all the things i’ve learned in my academic years. It’s like taking a crash course on teaching + being on the parent side ensuring your child gets the most out of the education we decided on, and of course not factoring in the moods and learning style of not just any child but my child whom I will be with 24/7. Where does mommy begin and where does “teacher” end? Or is it teacher mommy the whole time?
I had no background / experience whatsoever in homeschooling except for hearing about experiences and reading a book. When we opted for a provider, we attended a seminar on how it would be like.
