And then, on the second day of school, we actually sat down and got some work done. We did almost a full day, some subjects being shorter than usual since it’s mostly review. A full day, for us, is not more than 3 hours. It would really only take about 2 hours to get our work done except for the All-Important DAWDLE FACTOR.
Dawdle Factor is some sort of DNA structure that we’re born with and don’t lose until we become parents ourselves, at which point we realize just exactly how frustrated our own parents must have been when we were young. Let’s just imagine, for one minute (because we really only have one spare minute, if at all), the hours of childhood that we’ve all wasted just looking for our shoes while our mothers waited by the door, foot tapping exasperatedly. And now, we are the ones who wait impatiently, keys in hand, with the litany I-won’t-help-look-this-time…I-won’t…I-won’t…I-WON’T! running through our heads, knowing full well that in a few minutes we’ll be tossing the keys and the purse on the table to go show the kids just exactly how to lift up the damp bath towels on the floor to check if shoes are hidden underneath.
Depressing, isn’t it?
But now, I want you to imagine yourself 20 years in the future, sitting on a beach somewhere holding your favorite drink and your favorite book, and you’ve just turned off your cellphone because your kid just tried to call you to complain about how her kids just simply cannot find their shoes.
Feel better? Good. Me too.
In all, it was a good day back to the books. We’ve never taken so much time off at once before, and it’s amazing how quickly I had forgotten how it all piles up on you when you’re homeschooling. The mess. The stalling. The handwriting books that still haven’t arrived. The bored 4-year-old. I’d take a picture of how the living room looks right now, but I’m just too damned tired.
But we keep on keepin’ on, because we know deep in our hearts that the house won’t always look like this. And we know we’re doing the best we can. And above all, we’re pretty much guaranteed that as long as we persevere in our homeschooling endeavors, our daughters will never, EVER, sound like this:
It’s a brand new year, everybody. Here’s hoping you get yourselves some maps!
Well, I wonder what school she went to ? Aren’t you glad your kids don’t go there?
Hold on now. I’m a USAmerican and I don’t go in for all that “map” business!!! We ain’t gonna do no “map” work here!
all said with giggles as my kids “play” with the US map puzzle that was one of the last things my grandpa (a woodworker) made before his death. Is it weird that the kids know the states based on who was born there or if daddy had an interview there?
Nope, doesn’t seem weird to me at all.
I’m thinking we need a new blog award icon that says:
Prowd two bee a US-American. Or something like that. Well, gotta run. The kids can’t find something. Believe it or not.
LOL! too funny! I got one of those light up maps(globe) that spins! The kids really like it and so do I. I have actually learned so much more home schooling the kids.The next time my kids (little girl mostly) says she can’t find, I’m gonna take a deep breath and think about the future! That sounds nice.
That video is not to be believed! It’s beyond anything. I am trying not to laugh and wake the baby. Wow.