I know that my anxiety-issues are making me feel bogged down and unorganized, which affects the sentiments in this post I am sure.
(Trey making a play!!)
But, even before I was dealing exhaustion, hyper-vigilance, anxiety, et al!, I have ALWAYS wondered how public school families fit "it" all in?!
(Aven was OVER basketball...haha)
The basic homework, additional projects, weekend games/rehearsals/practices, weeknight rehearsals/practices/games, church activities, friend events, grocery shopping, house-cleaning, 'down' time with your family....all while following a rigid school-based schedule full of 'required assignments', 'required attendance', 'required parent-teacher meetings'.
(Zane was relaxing while watching?!)
HOW THE HECK?!
(Look at those ball handling skillz by #3!)
If Jim and I were doing all that PLUS sending our kids to a "school building" each day, we'd be even more exhausted than we are!
(I accidentally had my camera upsidedown and got this cool shot:)
I kinda feel like 'homeschooling' gets idolized and revered when, in truth, families that are healthy and thriving within the very demanding/rigid school system and still getting their kiddos exposed to outside activities AND while maintaining peer relationships let alone a relationship with Christ...THAT should be revered.
(Oh..there's battle waging!Who will win? Bball guys or Star War guys?!)
Our family "vision" is, definitely, quite different from the majority. We enjoy being home together, ALOT! We PLAN "at home" time. Our kids love being "home".
(Look at #3 making a beautiful shot! He did have one 3 - pointer this game :)
I'd say maybe once/month Chase will ask to "get out of the house and do something"....though they do great when in public groups, are around their peers weekly...etc...They still truly enjoy "home".
I often see Moms/Dads at basketball games (this is all on my mind because I saw this today at my oldest son's basketball game) watching their participating player with one eye and eyeing the homework their other child is doing during the game.
I'm not saying that's wrong I just can't get my head around it. It seems so..encompassing.
(ssshhhh....the "secret basketball- all -afternoon magic 'survival' pellets" .....)
I guess we are rebels in that we don't really want any one thing 'encompassing' us...other than our pursuit of God-liness...we don't do 'travel leagues', we don't take on a 'new' ministry if it takes away from our current ministry - the kids.
Yes, our kids "consume" us but that feels, usually, balanced. Kids seem like they 'should' be consuming....but an 'activity' should not be consuming even it if it's a textbook, project, or lesson.
At least not at the ages our kids are.
(Brudders playin'...And NOT watching their oldest bro play. What's up with dat?!)
Jim and I are just "off" like that. We refuse to let ONE thing, other than spiritual issues, dominate our lives.
An, actually, when I say 'spiritual issues', I do not mean a church building.
(Folks, the Mom is losing all control of her littles.)
Sure, we attend church regularly but that is not what 'makes' us Christ-followers.
My hats off to all of you who do it the "other" way (wink) .... I have no idea how you pull it all together...Makes me need a nap just thinkin' about it!
4 PLEASE give your thoughts! Click to comment!:
Oh yes...definitely feel like its all encompassing!! And only 1 is at school so far!!! Help!
You are so right...the school week is full on and dominates the day... before you know it after you race around like a madwoman to get them there on time before the 9am bell...its time to race around again, get littles up from naps, to pick them up for the 3pm bell, then do the mad rush of homework, home readers, lunches, dinner, baths and race them into bed before its too late so they don't lose the plot mid week because they're over tired!!!! Oh and not to mention the occasional after school activity thrown in there too...This is my life Andrea...I just love school holidays:) You have to laugh at the craziness...but on the other side I don't think I could homeschool either so on with the mad rush I go:)! Hats off to you my friend too:)
I need to go to bed now as I've just exhausted myself just thinking about that and its nearly Monday morning:0
Anna
Loved the pics too esp Aven face down:)
I wonder the same thing. I think my friends w/children in ps must be so organized and patient (which is of course what they say of me). I can't even imagine how hard it must be to balance homework/activities/school and all that comes with it.
Oh, I hear ya. I wonder this, too. I wonder how we get anything done and we homeschool...actually, I really wonder why we don't get anything done. :) And then I remember: we have 4 kids under the age of 6...and we homeschool. Crazy, isn't it?
ANdrea-I don't have much to say (probably because I have blogged on such a deep level this week), but I have to say, the pics with your post ROCK!!! Loved them all!
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