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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: Jan 03 2008 at 10:29am | IP Logged
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Okay, so I've received several of those newsletters some families send out this season, and I enjoy reading them. But there's one that, due to various personal circumstances, (and not because of any particular tone of the writer,) feels like a reprimand. The thing is, I know I should be getting more out of my homeschool, and I read this one (it's not even the most "accomplished" one) and it just strikes that knowledge home. My kids are great, and I have actually given myself a lot of leeway about expectations and the realities of homeschooling a large family, etc, but I just feel convicted that it's time to start demanding more from myself. I feel rebuked every time I read the parable of the talents.
So I was wondering what everyone's favorite self-discipline/accountability measures are. I know some people keep a blog for this purpose, and some say husbands are great at helping with this kind of thing, so any relevant comments would be great. What else?
(And since I turn to so many of you for inspiration, your favorite prayers to ward off envy are still welcome!)
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Nicole
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Jan 03 2008 at 10:48am | IP Logged
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Nicole, please don't feel bad. We are ALL striving to do our best.It is an enormous undertaking we have been charged with, and we all fail. DAILY!!At least I know I DO!And when I compare myself to others I feel particularly slothful! But luckily God gives us a fresh start each day to try again to do His will with a cheerful heart.
As far as accountability, my blog really helps. I love to be able to communicate with others about what we are doing, and when I have nothing to say...well that tells me something right there, doesn't it?
But that only goes so far.
I think if I just had ONE PERSON to help me be accountable, it would help tremendously.My dh would be ideal, but he just thinks everything I do is wonderful, so that's not much help!
I would love to have an "accountability partner", like they have in drug treatment programs, you know? One person who you communicate with, who knows your goals and capabilities and can cheer your successes and gently reprimand your failures? But I don't know anyone in person who homeschools, or is even a SAHM, so I am having a bit of trouble finding that partner.
Any volunteers???
Perhaps if you can find that one person, it would be useful to you as well?
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Jan 03 2008 at 11:49am | IP Logged
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What Theresa said . . .
I have a very ambivalent relationship with my blog but I've finally decided that it is one of the only proven motivators for me (I don't use it yet for homeschooling purposes, but we might go there when the time comes). I began my blog at the urging of a friend and though we don't call each other "accountability partners" that is really what she is to me. We aren't 100% on the same page, but she respects what I'm trying to do and will give me advice when I ask for it and ask me hard questions when I need them. She really does want me to blog about how many closets I've cleaned.
Maybe someone here could be your blog audience and you could set yourself to write down one thing each day or week or whatever. You will probably find that you are doing a lot of things well but the format may help you commit to working on things you want to improve.
Other people read my blog besides this one friend and that's fine, and it makes it more fun, but knowing that this one person who knows me well and is going to call me up to find out what's wrong if I haven't written is really helpful.
God Bless,
Susan
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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: Jan 03 2008 at 4:09pm | IP Logged
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lapazfarm wrote:
I think if I just had ONE PERSON to help me be accountable, it would help tremendously...
Perhaps if you can find that one person, it would be useful to you as well? |
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YES. I am soo with you on that one. If I had a blog. (Maybe one day...) I wonder how workable it would be without it?
I have the same problem finding someone "compatible"--same sort of goals, values, struggles. I'd bet a lot of homeschooling parents would benefit from an accountability partner like you suggest.
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Erin
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| Posted: Jan 08 2008 at 9:33pm | IP Logged
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Nicole
DO you write out written goals for yourself at the beginning of the school year? And then break it down into term bites? Discuss it with your dh and have his imput, he may think of things you haven't. By goals I mean things such as 'Jack will read this year'.
Last year I started a personal 'school' blog where I could write out my 'real' thoughts. You know "Very bad day here fantasing about the little yellow bus"(not that the buses are yellow here in Australia. This also has planning notes etc there. The visual thing really helps me.
Another really great thing I did was kept a typed list of all the books the children read, that was a moral booster
I also have a public blog, it is not so much an accountability thing but more a morale booster that I did actually accomplish more than I thought.
Lapazfarm wrote:
| I think if I just had ONE PERSON to help me be accountable, it would help tremendously.My dh would be ideal, but he just thinks everything I do is wonderful, so that's not much help! |
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Theresa
That is soo sweet
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Erin
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