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CKwasniewski
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| Posted: Sept 27 2007 at 11:09am | IP Logged
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I asked this question on the Waldorf thread, but maybe its better to ask it in general.
What helps you as a homeschooling mom to have a sense of fulfillment? Is it prayer? Is it doing arts? Is it keeping things orderly? Low pressure? Havng time for your own interests?
I'd love to have everybody's thoughts -- I am not in the middle of a crisis at the moment, but I know I need to change things in order not to have one!
thanks,
ck
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 27 2007 at 1:16pm | IP Logged
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I'm not sure if this will answer your question or not. I don't think I really struggle with "fulfillment." Maybe we mean something different, but I think of fulfillment as feeling like I'm doing something good and worthwhile with my life. I definitely feel fulfilled.
I do really struggle with feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. To combat this, honestly, I usually need to eat something. I'm slowly realizing that most of my day-to-day stress moments are the result of blood sugar swings. Amazing what a snack will do.
Beyond that . . . I guess a sense of order. Feeling like I have a schedule or rhythm that hits the essentials: prayer, good time with each kid, sleep, chores, some downtime. If I'm getting all the essentials I have so much energy for spur-of-the moment creativity.
Susan
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
Life Together
[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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Red Cardigan
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Interesting question. I'm not sure this is the sort of answer you're looking for, but I'll share it anyway. 
When my girls were little I felt fulfilled just getting through the day, meeting their physical and schooling needs, and having some time for recreation. But as they got older I realized that there actually were times when I had some free time, amazing as that was.
I had always said that I wanted to write fiction "someday." But then I started thinking about the phenomenon of the "retired mom." You know--the woman who has raised her children, and all or most of them have moved out of the house, and suddenly she has all this time, but no idea what to do with it. Whatever hobbies she always thought of pursuing always got put off, so that now she'd have to get started--and at 65 or 70 she doesn't really want to start learning and doing all these new things. I realized that if fiction writing was going to be my hobby, I needed to start right then, so that I wouldn't be in that place by the time the children are grown.
So far I've completed two manuscripts, and have a tentative lead on publishing one of them. Last year I took part in the National Novel Writing Month contest, which was so much fun I've made plans to do it again this year. I expect to have two more completed manuscripts by the end of this year, and an outline for the sequel to the first manuscript I wrote (which is intended to be a trilogy). I had a newspaper essay published last December, and started blogging this past January.
Sometimes this has meant juggling things a bit, and my girls have been known to groan a little when told that Mom's working on a new book. But I find that being fulfilled as a person, in general, makes it much easier to be fulfilled as a mom, a homeschool teacher, a chief cook and bottle-washer, and all those other things we moms are.
So my advice would be to find those things for which you have a passion, and then find some way to weave them into the tapestry of your daily life. Some things may be easier than others (writing, for instance, fits well into a homeschooling mom's day, but if your passion is playing a sport you may have to compromise a bit to make things work out). I'm inspired by all the moms out there putting their talents to work in these creative and wonderful ways: making rosaries or jewelry (and selling them!), making clothing or costumes, creating amazing arts and crafts projects, entering amateur photography contests or poetry contests, starting their own home-based businesses or writing and selling Catholic homeschool materials or workbooks, and so on. There are so many ways we can give our talents back to God--as wives, as mothers, as homeschool teachers, and then even beyond that.
Hope this helps! 
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http://www.redcardigan.blogspot.com
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AnaB
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CK,
For me right now, a sense of fulfillment comes in seeking God for what His vision is for me, my family, and my day and then obeying it, keeping my children's heart at the center. It's when I've strayed from this, that I start to feel like I'm burdened.
I think of that Scripture in Matthew 11:28-29 that says, "Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls."
When I'm wearing His yoke, my life really is a delight. But then I usually start to add things to the list and I start to NOT do all that I should be doing, or I become a drill sergeant (making the list my goal), that I start feeling unfulfilled and burdened. I feel the weight of ill-fitting man-made yokes (most of my own creation) and I buckle.
Taking time for myself to delight in the Lord, whether it's reading my Bible on the porch swing with a pumpkin latte or tea in a pretty cup before anyone else is up, whether is going for a walk or enjoying nature, whether it's taking time to be creative, etc... these things are things God gives us out of grace to renew us and keep us inspired.
I'm preaching to myself. I have felt a vague sense of weariness. My life has been stressful (dh has a chronic heart condition and I have chronic fatigue), but I know for a fact that I've lost my balance lately reading too much about different education philosophies. Every time I read one, I think, maybe that's what I need--that sounds really good. And then I bounce around from blog to blog trying to learn about each philosophy, and I skip read aloud time, cleaning up time, etc... I'm being gut-wrenchlingly honest here! I have lost my focus and wasted so much time. I didn't keep it all in balance. I think just about any homeschooling philosophy would work if one puts a concerted effort into it. So, if I've been a CM'er all this time, maybe I should just work on perfecting that in my home rather than bouncing around? I feel like I have too much clutter in my brain so that I can't do anything well. Too many good ideas can be debilitating.
Sorry to go on about me. I sympathize with you and pray that we can find our joy in the simple pleasures as we once have!
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His By Grace, AnaB blessed WIFE to Jeff and mama to 4 blessings!
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CKwasniewski
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| Posted: Sept 27 2007 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for these posts, ladies.
I think by fulfillment I meant what you are talking about. Sometimes it's hard to see the Forest (=worthwhile vocation of raising a family) for the trees (=never ending dishes, laundry, dirt, school work). There is never any END product which is not eaten, re-dirtied, or messed with.
The end product will hopefully be a mature adult and wise/holy parent, but in the meanwhile, I get discouraged by the endless messes and daily grind.
Perhhaps it goes back to the emphasis on producing/having rather than simply being. This production mentality is so common in modern culture, its hard to get away from it. Especially if you've been raised with it. 
The 3 elements you ladies have identified are I think very important:
1.Focus on God's will, prayer time
2. Time for self (Mother culture)
3. Focus on the essentials (don't get distracted by non-essentials)
I'd love to have other thoughts on this.
Elizabeth, you quoted something about this on your blog from the Simmons Kindergarten book. Maybe you can give me your thoughts too?
blessings,
ck
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Fulfillment
