The visions were sentimental/emotional flashes of being back in Florida. The moment we walked off the plane and I could see the palm trees through the windows of Orlando International I felt a sense of relief. I knew the vision question had been answered. I had been away too long. I needed to be there, for me, for the experience for my kids. They are growing up in South Dakota, and that's a clean, wholesome lifestyle, but I also want them to experience the culture I grew up in. As I think about it, our lives are reversed. They don't know winter without snow and frigid cold. I didn't even see snow 'til I was 16, and it didn't even cover the grass, but we made a snowman anyway.
If you remember, the Declaration Of Independence starts out by saying "When in the course of human events..." Well, it basically goes on to say that the new America is separating themselves from England. I think our trip was the opposite. Everyone I talked to thought it was so weird that the kids mom and I would go on vacation with the kids even though we're separated. Remember though, it was only the first line that kept coming to mind. It wasn't until I read it that I noticed the separation part. It wasn't a final separation that happened. No, it wasn't a reunion either. I think it did teach a lot of people a very important lesson. Just because life doesn't go the way people see as normal doesn't mean there has to be bitterness. I think the reason that first line kept coming to mind was so I could continue it this way. When in the course of human events there is no room for selfishness and ego. A decision should be based on what is best for that particular situation.
I learned that since my kids LIVE the midwest lifestyle I also want them to grow up knowing the southern lifestyle not just experiencing it once in a while. As I say in many of my posts "Thanks for searching with me." Life is a series of searching and discovering. Thanks for sharing this one with me, Paul
5 comments:
I can connect with your epiphany here. I had to make a decision for both my boys(homeschool versus keeping them in public school) and now when we have truly horrific days where I feel like pulling my hair out I remind myself that it is for THEIR benefit we are doing school at home. Not mine. My ego or selfishness has no place in the decision. It has to be all about them.
I sure do miss sleeping in, though!!! lol
As someone recently reminded me, "It's better to do more for others than what you do for yourself."
I love having the kids at home. Their mom is the one who takes care of their schooling, and I know it is really frustrating for her some days, but when we've discussed public or homeschooling, we both agree we like them home. I'm glad to see you made the switch. Last I knew you were frustrated with the public system. Have they said whether they miss it or not? I agree, It just makes you feel good inside to do for others
Coincidentally, today was one of those truly craptastic days. I was feeling really sick from a flare up from fibromyalgia and was in bed nearly all day. I couldn't hover over them. They knew what they had to do and chose to act out instead.
At the end of the day I had them sit down and write a list of the pros and cons of each school setting, trying to get them to realize what they'd LOSE if I had to send them back to brick-and-mortar. It worked. They saw the light.
Surprisingly, they didn't say they missed their friends all that much because they have so many around the neighborhood here. They did say that they liked homeschool better because it was more relaxed and less stressful. "No homework, whoo hoo!!" said my eldest. We do 'school work' not 'homework', you see.... lol
When my husband came home he made sure they understood that he wasn't going to stand for them trampling on my good will and taking advantage of me when I'm sick. They were remorseful. Hopefully we'll have a better day tomorrow.
I don't regret any of it, though. I think it was a good choice, even with as stressful as it can be sometimes.
My 12 yr. old had talked about going back to public for 7th grade. We explained to him 7 hours there, possibly another 2 when he got home, he changed his mind. Not that we were really trying to talk him out of it, but reality is what it is. Right now he does an average of three to five hours a day depending on the subject/s. The good part is he can break it up.
Two hours? Man. That's if he's super speedy! I remember having around four to five hours worth of homework every night in middle school.
I couldn't inflict that on my kids. I want them to have a LIFE outside of school and get involved in things. In elementary school this is a bit more difficult. There's not much they can do in the community(that's free, anyway) so it mostly revolves around discussing topics that we can research together as a family. My mother even gets in on it in the Science department, giving out snippets of her plants for them to experiment on and that kind of thing. She loves being involved.
One of our math projects was discussing taxes on commercial products we purchase every day. Social Studies tied into this because the kids were also learning about how early American business worked with the new bankers. So we took a trip up to the Dollar Store around the corner from our home and they each bought a few things with their allowance money. Before we got up to the counter I had them figure out how much they'd be expected to pay and see if it matched up with how much they really WERE asked to pay. The cashier was hilarious. "ok, sweety. Now, I need fourteen more cents in tax...." and watching them dig dimes and pennies out of their little plastic wallets.
Real Life is far more educational sometimes than sterile books.
I like going to the grocery store with my boys. They keep track of how much money I'm spending!! lol
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