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mamaslearning
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| Posted: Feb 28 2012 at 8:28am | IP Logged
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Every day I home school I end up learning something new! Am I being selfish for wanting to home school just so I can continue learning?  Of course I have lots of other reasons to hs, but boy, I sure do love these little learning moments! 
Just today I learned that a ladybug goes through a similar life cycle as a butterfly/moth. I've learned shortcuts to multiplication. Spelling rules are being learned that I know were never taught to me before, and history is just blowing my mind. I was a straight A student, top of my class (like #8 of 250), but I've come to realize that most of my A's came from a knack for test taking (give me a couple of hours and I can memorize and pass most any test, but long term retention is another story). I'm so excited that I have a chance to slowly make learning connections that were lost during the rush to graduate high school.
Anybody else out there a "selfish mom"?
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Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
St. Francis de Sales Homeschool
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Feb 28 2012 at 8:32am | IP Logged
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Definitely! I learned very little about history and our Catholic faith while I was in school. (Even though I went to Catholic schools from K to 12th grade!) Since I started homeschooling, I'm amazed at how much I missed out on and thankful that my children are learning it at a much younger age! 
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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JennGM
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Oh, that is so me.
I am selfish. I want to be the one to witness those "aha" moments when my child starts to read. I love seeing those connections happen.
I love seeing the joy of learning.
I love discussing books.
I love learning the new things alongside of them.
Most of all, I love how homeschooling makes me grow inwardly. Every day I have paradigm shifts. Every day is a grace. Being at home with my children is a grace-filled experience -- teaching me humility and patience. It teaches me to recognize my child as a child of God, a person with his own thoughts and will. I learn I can't or shouldn't mold him, but I'm his guide.
And I selfishly want all the grace for myself!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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jawgee
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| Posted: Feb 28 2012 at 9:17am | IP Logged
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I understand!!
I can't keep up with all the books my oldest reads, and sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on all the great things he is learning. (I just make sure to have him narrate those things well). 
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Monica
C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
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mamaslearning
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| Posted: Feb 28 2012 at 9:32am | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
Oh, that is so me.
Most of all, I love how homeschooling makes me grow inwardly. Every day I have paradigm shifts. Every day is a grace. Being at home with my children is a grace-filled experience -- teaching me humility and patience. It teaches me to recognize my child as a child of God, a person with his own thoughts and will. I learn I can't or shouldn't mold him, but I'm his guide.
And I selfishly want all the grace for myself! |
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 I have grown sooooo much in these two years (  I'm such a newbie!). I love being with the kids (not saying I don't have bad days)!
I was feeling a bit down recently about being somewhat of an oddity for not wanting to leave my kids for extended periods of time, but Sister from our church graced me with a compliment that made my day. At our Ladies' Prayer Group (for Lent, and yes, the kids are with me  ) she remarked about how she always sees me with my kids and how beautiful it is to see a family together all the time. It made my day!
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Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
St. Francis de Sales Homeschool
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Claire F
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Yes! I totally agree!
I have learned so much already - things I was only familiar with in passing, or things I don't recall being exposed to. I'm thrilled to be on this journey with my children, learning as they do.
I actually think that part of it is a huge benefit, not just for us as moms, but for our children as well. Our love of learning will shine through and inspire them. We're just practicing good modeling!
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Claire
Mom to DS 12/04, DS 5/07, DD 8/09
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Mackfam
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Me too!
I have always said that my own education reflected the level of my oldest child's education. Even after only 2nd grade I felt the richer for it. It is truly a twice blessed education, as Charlotte Mason liked to call it! It blesses the teacher and the student!
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Jen Mackintosh
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kristinannie
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| Posted: Feb 28 2012 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
Oh, that is so me.
I am selfish. I want to be the one to witness those "aha" moments when my child starts to read. I love seeing those connections happen.
I love seeing the joy of learning.
I love discussing books.
I love learning the new things alongside of them.
Most of all, I love how homeschooling makes me grow inwardly. Every day I have paradigm shifts. Every day is a grace. Being at home with my children is a grace-filled experience -- teaching me humility and patience. It teaches me to recognize my child as a child of God, a person with his own thoughts and will. I learn I can't or shouldn't mold him, but I'm his guide.
And I selfishly want all the grace for myself! |
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So well said. This is exactly how I feel. It has even encouraged me to start learning Latin since I plan on teaching the kids later. I have also brushed up on my German because we are learning that as well. I think it is such a great way to keep our minds sharp and to learn the way that I really wish I had learned in school!
Definitely a selfish mama here! Whenever my husband mentions putting the kids in public school, I get so sad for what I could potentially lose (as well as what my children would lose...)  Luckily, he is warming up to homeschooling more and more each day! 
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John Paul 8.5
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Shari in NY
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JennGM wrote:
Oh, that is so me.
And I selfishly want all the grace for myself! |
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This is me!! And I wanted an excuse to buy all those classic children's books I missed when I was a child! I don't think I could have justified buying all the Swallows and Amazons books if I didn't have the time to read them outloud to the boys!  I firmly believe God wants me to be this "selfish".
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MaryM
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Claire F wrote:
| I actually think that part of it is a huge benefit, not just for us as moms, but for our children as well. Our love of learning will shine through and inspire them. We're just practicing good modeling! |
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This is exactly what I was going to say. I love the learning too and don't think it is selfish. I think that having that enthusiasm, sharing the learning together and modeling is a HUGE part of the benefits of homeschooling for our children.
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Mary M. in Denver
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: March 01 2012 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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I'm selfish too ;)
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kristacecilia
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| Posted: March 01 2012 at 11:38am | IP Logged
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Sign me up with the selfish ones. I was just thinking this over about a week ago and hoping it wasn't a bad thing to want to keep all these wonderful experiences and years to myself.
Honestly, lessons/learning are my favorite part of our day. The rest is drudgery most of the time.
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Krista
Wife to a great guy, mom to two boys ('04, '06) and three girls ('08, '10, '12!)
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Amanda
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I notice that pretty much everyone who has responded so far has kids on the younger side. I want to add a word of...not warning, but awareness..without sounding like a total downer.
I loved all the new things I was learning with my first. I still love the new things I'm learning with my oldest. But there are six years between my first and second, and it's been hard to realize that I really should do a butterfly garden with my second, even though I just did one a few years ago and I'm no longer so excited about it. I should go on some of the same field trips I did a few years ago. And so on...
I think some ways to avoid the burnout I've run into are:
1. Don't think you have to go on those same field trips or do the same activities! Find new--but equally exciting--things to do with your later children.
2. Don't have your kids as far apart as I did, if you can help it. :-)
3. Let the bigger kids help the younger ones with some of the hands-on stuff that you are no longer so keen on. There are only so many times this mom can get excited about dissecting owl pellets, but I think my 14yo would like to do it again with the 8yo.
4. Don't assume you will use the same curriculum with all your kids. Even if it suits them all, *you* may be sick to death of it! Keep that in mind when deciding how much money to spend on your curricula, and don't be afraid to sell curriculum rather than saving it if you're not absolutely sure you'll want to use it again.
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mom to ds '97, dd '03, ds '07, and dd 1/11
St. Margaret Clitherow Homeschool
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mamaslearning
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Thanks for the reminder that we are in the "honeymoon" stage! It's fun right now, but the real work is still ahead of us and we need to set a strong foundation.
Wasn't a downer at all!
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Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
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Mackfam
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mamaslearning wrote:
| Thanks for the reminder that we are in the "honeymoon" stage! It's fun right now, but the real work is still ahead of us and we need to set a strong foundation. |
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This is true, and I think some of Amanda's *heads up* are very prudent - good to know and be aware of so they aren't troubling when encountered. Having said that, and not belittling the hard work of laying the rails with good habits over the years....I'm STILL honeymooning and I have a rising 11th grader. Boy, have I enjoyed learning alongside her this year!
We have not had a stale year yet. I attribute that to the great variety within our Charlotte Mason curriculum. Now, notice I did not say we haven't had challenges. Boy, have we!!! And I've flopped on my face hard some years! UGH!!!! But, every.single.one of those challenges that have come up over the years have stretched me outside of comfort zones into places that were more fruitful for all, and I'm grateful for them - though at times these challenges were quite painful, and they all involved some seriously HARD WORK!!
MaryM wrote:
| I think that having that enthusiasm, sharing the learning together and modleing is a HUGE part of the benefits of homeschooling for our children. |
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I totally agree. This leaves room for Mom's learning curve, her need to grow in discipline and allowing for the Holy Spirit's stretching. But, it is exactly this attitude of Mom retaining her sense of wonder, and allowing her eyes to look through her children's eyes in seeing their education that gives freshness and allows for joy in the everyday. This is also what allows mom to stretch and grow - seeing with the eyes of a child has prompted me more than once to look at my motivation for doing something/not doing something and to grow from there.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Amanda
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I am glad Jen chimed in! She is a better example than I am!
Mackfam wrote:
| But, it is exactly this attitude of Mom retaining her sense of wonder, and allowing her eyes to look through her children's eyes in seeing their education that gives freshness and allows for joy in the everyday. |
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This is a very good reminder for me. Even when the material covered, or the book read, is very familiar to the parent/teacher, each child's reaction to it is absolutely individual and can be a joy to Mom--and she may learn something new from that child's questions, the way he/she relates it to what he/she has already learned, etc.
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mom to ds '97, dd '03, ds '07, and dd 1/11
St. Margaret Clitherow Homeschool
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Is this a selfish reason to hs?
