What Do I Reflect?

Some days I am not a good example to my kids. Lately I was feeling sick and my head hurt; I did not show the best way to deal with life when you're running low. I took the low road... I was crabby.

Children have made me more aware of what face I show the world. Why is it that I'm more likely to "suck it up" and be cheery for the lady at the grocery store than I am for my children and hubby? Is it because they love me that they have to put up with my less than stellar days?

I believe these years at home are a training ground, a safe place, to learn the appropriate way to deal with life's ups and downs. So my example to my children everyday should be a lesson.

I will need to be more diligent to remember they do copy what they see, hear and practice.

"A Mother's Heart is a Child's Classroom." -unknown-

At Home: Everyone is learning.

Our journey in Home Education has been one of many changes, many tears, many laughs and many discoveries. I wouldn't change it for anything. Somedays I feel like we're "Swiss Family Robinson" and we have to re-invent everything. Somedays I feel like we're at the zoo and everyone is a little wild, and waiting to be fed. Somedays I'm sure I've birthed the next Einstien and someday the world will thank me. Most days, I'm just mom .. the one everyone needs in order to function. Somedays... I want to change my name to Dad ... since he doesn't get interupted as often.

The amazing thing is that I am the one who has learned so much. Oh, they learn too but I have learned to develop my own character and education as I've prepped and taught my kids. The light of understanding is not just for those who require the knowledge to prepare them for life, but it is also for us who... realize education never was about the teacher... it's about taking responsiblity to love the process of learning. Education never ends.

Recently my son asked "what do beggers do with our arms? Who wants a bloody stump?" I felt that strange buzzing in my head when I'm really trying to get on the same frequency as this child's thinking ... but no .. nothing. Somewhere I'd lost the connection.

"What ARE we talking about?"

"You know, what do they do with the arms? When they say 'Arms for the poor'?"

ohhhhhh

This was followed by a discussion about a new part of his vocabulary; alms.

When did I have the time to wonder?
When did I sit in silence and consider such weighty matters?

There is nothing like a child to open our world to new horizions...
these are the days of learning
these are the days when I realize my educaiton lacked
at no fault of my teachers
for my teachers are my children
my husband
my trials
my garden
my life at home.