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Bella
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| Posted: Aug 11 2008 at 2:42am | IP Logged
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.....you know,the days/weeks/months, when you are absolutely certain that you are enrolling your school age DC!
Please Ladies!Throw me a fish hook! I want to hear about the dead of winter(or summer), when it is so cold/hot/, and you cannot go outside for days. Everyone's sick-for weeks. School isn't getting done.
I know this happens,because it happens at my home,my sister's home,and a friend of hers. But there HAS to be more than three people!  
The days when your preteen/teen didn't talk to you, because they have no get togethers,because you've all been sick, and therefore, noone's going any where.
And there MUST be a few of you who have health problems,where there is no learning taking place(well...at the table),as you are dragging your DC to various doctor appts.,when you can't read for weeks due to a wicked sore throat.
And, please tell me how you got through it. NO t just with Grace. Did family help? Your husband?
And, during *this* side of homeschooling,did Real Learning take place? Was it forced, a good distraction, or another week/month/year, of feeling this or that DC is behind?
Why do I ask such a negative question? So I can pull myself to the other side-so I can know I am NOT alone when it comes.
So I can enter this hsing year(hopefully), and really know what it could like-and I still think I can do it.
May I just say.....THANKYOU!! 
__________________
Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Aug 11 2008 at 12:39pm | IP Logged
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My very worst year physically was our best year with homeschooling and Real Learning. I was pregnant with #6 and had 5 under 6. We had just moved here so we had no friends and lived in a community where no one was ever home. Multiple times I needed to go to the hospital because I was dehydrated but couldn't because my husband was in grad school with a 4 hour daily commute and I didn't know anyone who could watch the kids or drive me or both.
All of that forced me to throw out much of our boxed curriculum, read lots of books together when I wasn't being sick, and on really good days take a walk through the neighborhood. Our state required a portfolio, so I was contantly on the watch for learning experiences and would type up descriptions of our Real Learning days so I had something to show when the semester ended.
When my husband could, he would take the kids shopping or out so I could rest, and he took over the laundry and a lot of the cleaning. The older kids learned to help more and loved it because they knew that they were helping with real and necessary work.
My life now is very orderly and predictable and full of friends and we even have outside activities, but truthfully, that year was my favorite. HTH!
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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Milehimama
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There is not room on this site to describe all of those days, but that is why I plan 36 weeks of school in a 52 week year!
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Milehimama in Houston
Mother of 11 - 8 Church Militant and 3 Church Triumphant
Mama Says
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VanessaVH
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| Posted: Aug 11 2008 at 2:43pm | IP Logged
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Well, we haven't started any school yet with ours (3yo and 1yo) But I was homeschooled and had some major health issues that left me with very little energy for boxed curriculum. My mom just let me loose in the library. I would read entire chapter books in a day! I also did the bare min. of math and science.
When I wanted to try college, I signed up at the community college and I only had to take one math class below college level and in the two semesters I was there ( I got married and got pregnant right away, so I didn't have time to finish...) I got 1 A- and the rest As, so I think as long as children can read well, and know how to learn, that they will do just fine!!
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stacykay
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| Posted: Aug 11 2008 at 4:06pm | IP Logged
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My "worst" year homeschooling- 2001.
What happened:
Mom got diagnosed with breast cancer (Dec. 23, 2000).
 
I found out I was pregnant.
Mom had near-fatal heart attack (Jan. 11, 2001) the night before her scheduled lumpectomy. 
I flew (petrified to fly doesn't cover it) to FL with my two sisters who hadn't spoken to each other in over 10 years (I lied to each to get them on the plane together.)
Spent a week in FL at mom's bedside, miscarried baby and returned to MI.
Mom was better.
Mom was worse and drove to FL with four children, alone (this was by now Feb. and tax season for dh.)
Spent three weeks in FL, mom improved, drove back up.
Became pregnant again!
Heavy bleeding.
Baby ok.
Morning/noon/night sickness.
Mom got worse and drove down to FL and back with dh and boys in one week.
Mom improved.
Found out I had gestational diabetes requiring insulin, once a week biophysical profiles, twice a week non-stress test monitoring, and a doctor visit for a total of three days going to UM Hospital in Ann Arbor for lots of visits and waiting, plus shots twice a day and four times a day blood monitoring and special diet.
September 11th.
Our bathrooms (boys' and ours) had flooring/water problems and both had to be gutted and redone.  
Had bleeding due to partial previa when I went into labor. Lots of bleeding.
Had healthy baby boy!
Returned home to gutted baths, one working toilet (our room) and one working bath (boys bath.) Not great for that postpartum...time. 
Ds #3 got chickenpox when new baby was 3 weeks old.
Had baby's baptism on Dec. 23rd.
Got call from dad on Dec. 24th that my mom was in grave condition and being moved to hospice. We all piled in my very dear and kind friend's BRAND new 12 passenger van and left for FL at 1 pm Christmas Eve.
Was able to see mom, she was able to see #5 ds, and stay with her at hospice until she passed away on Jan. 2.
That was my worst year. What worked? Lots of living book reading for those hours in offices/hospitals/hotel rooms. Just the essentials (math/English) and just barely. We didn't cover as much as we needed, but there were some definite "life" lessons. What is really important in this world. Faith grew enormously. And the two oldest boys, for whom that year had a greater impact on studies, the oldest is doing fantastic as a physics major (he will be a college junior this fall) and the other is doing great in his rigorous Catholic high school.
If we had the boys in either public or private school that year, there is NO WAY we could have taken the time we did to be with my mom. We all would have lost out on VERY precious time. If for no other reason than that year, I will never second guess our decision to homeschool.
Bella, I sure hope this helps you in those moments when you feel like pulling out your hair!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Elena
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My worst time was the fall of 2002. My mother-in-law, one of my best friends and my unborn baby all died within six weeks of each other. I was absolutely numb.
That was six years ago and I think there is still some sequelae from that. My 13-year-old did not get the start in reading that he would have gotten otherwise. He reads okay, but not a lot and not as fluently as we would like. BUT... he's a good kid, loves his family, practices his faith and everyone loves him. So I guess in that sense we are succeeding despite it all.
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Elena
Wife to Peter, mom of many!
My Domestic Church
One Day at a Time
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stacykay
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Elena,
You are absolutely succeeding! I mentioned my olders academic success, because I wanted to say that our children can succeed in spite of us, and because I forever felt guilty about my letting them down that long year  - as you know, the grieving can go on a long time after that. But I am more happy that my boys are really loving and faithful. If they didn't have faith and love, I would definitely feel like a failure.
There is no guarantee that no matter how hard you try to give them all the right tools for life that they will turn out "ok." We have to trust God.
I guess, in thinking this over, on those days when things get out of control, prayer is the best thing we can give our children.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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monique
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I think 2003 was our worst year. My husband had a horrible case of pneumonia and then was diagnosed with sarcoidosis (Yeah, the same thing that Bernie Mac had). He was so sick he could have died if the antibiotic hadn't started working. It was my son's birthday the day we took my husband to the hospital and he still remembers having pizza and cinnamon sticks with candles for his birthday cake. That was in April and I don't think we really finished out that year because hubby was off work for quite some time and I was taking care of him.
2004 was bad because we moved while I was pregnant and I was scared to death to be homeschooling and at home with 4 kids by myself most of the time.
I don't know -- some how you just get through and realize that things happen for a reason.
__________________
Monique
mom to 5
Raising Saints
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jugglingpaynes
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I used to threaten sending them to school at the beginning of every school year. When you spend a month teaching those basic math concepts you taught them last year...and the year before...you start thinking that maybe schools are the best place for them. Then a dear friend reminded me how schools spend the beginning of every year reviewing concepts the children have forgotten over the summer. That helped a lot. Also realizing that if I kept using school as a threat, what would I do if it became necessary?
We all have our off days and life has lots of speed bumps. I try to take things a day at a time, pray for patience and I've learned to laugh--at myself and at the situations that used to make me upset. It helps.
Peace and Laughter!
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Cristina
(mom of MayBabies dd15,ds12,dd6)
Home Spun Juggling
Comics, Coffee and Catches
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Bella
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| Posted: Aug 14 2008 at 6:37pm | IP Logged
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Mommas,
Thankyou so much for "putting yourselves out there."
I appreciate your honesty, and am extremely inspired by your faith and perserverance.
Rachel-that sounded sooo stressful! and with your DC so young, even IF you wanted to send them to school-that wouldn't have been an option. I am so happy that life is better,calmer,and full of friends. 
Milehimama- HA! *Planning* 36 weeks is smart-I am self-proclaimed year-rounder. 
Vanessa-thanks for sharing your story! I'm sorry about your health problems,though. How wonderful that you are now deciding to hs your DC.
Stacy-Wow. I am so sorry about your Mom. God rest her soul. How amazing that she was able to see your DS. I am blown away by how hard that year was for you-sorry,not too profound there. But,really, I am at a loss for words. You are so right about the biggest lessons being learned-they just cannot come from any lesson plan or book-only Real Life.Never under-estimate the flexibility of homeschooling,eh? What an enormous gift God gave your family that year. And look at your boys! That is so awesome! Your dedication is to be admired,for sure.
Elena-I am so sorry about your Mother-in- Law, and your precious baby!God rest their souls!! I cannot imagine how difficult that time must have been for you. Your son sounds like a great kid!!! If I can describe my DC that way someday, I will be one happy momma! ITA with Stacy about your post!
Monique-I am sorry about your DH! You are so right-we get through things, and they happen for very good reason. Pizza with cinnamon sticks and candles for a BD? Sounds good to me! We just have to do, what we have to do.
Cristina-your attitude is great! ITA- I think sometimes it's easy to threaten to send the DC-but ya never know what life holds-and if we did have to send our DC-how much harder it would be on them if they remember it as something that was alwaus a threat.
Ladies,
Thankyou so much. You have helped me a great deal, and many others I am sure. God Bless you all!!!
Love,
Bella
__________________
Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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Patty
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Oh my goodness...yes! Everyone has hard times...moving, new babies (as wonderful as they are), difficult pregnancies, other health issues, very active toddlers, learning difficulties, and on and on.
In the fall of 1999, our youngest was born eight weeks early and was in the hospital for three weeks. Then our oldest, age 15, had extensive jaw surgery. The day dh took her home (I was ill) he was thinking he was very glad to see the last of that hospital for a while. My illness and fever turned out to be a huge blood clot in my thigh, and the very next day I was admitted for NINE days! When I got home I limped around for a while. I would lie on my back on the floor with my feet up on the couch, and read aloud to the kids that way!
Thank goodness we had a beautiful baby boy to cuddle...one very bright spot in those days.
There have been lots of other things, but that was one time when several difficulties coincided to make life, um, interesting.
It was very hard getting much school done, as you can imagine. My 13yo was bright but not self-motivated and did not accomplish much for a while. He is now a college math major, and holding a full-time computer job.
God will give you the grace for the journey! You don't always see the fruits at the moment, but in time they will ripen.
God bless you and your family,
Patty
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mariB
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| Posted: Aug 16 2008 at 4:19am | IP Logged
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There have been LOTS of hard times throughout the years. My one hope and strength has been our faith. Going through a little bit of a hard time now and I have no interest in starting school...
But we will start anyway in a couple of weeks and things will get done! They always do and as I look back over the years we have accomplished many things regardless of the curve balls that life throws at you!
Praying for you, Bella and all mothers here for peace, guidance, and reasssurance for the upcoming school year!
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marib-Mother to 22ds,21ds,18ds,15dd,11dd and wife to an amazing man for 23 years
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Tell me about your hard times.....
