Homeschool Hell Week

We homeschool and the perks far outweigh the drawbacks but there are those weeks when I ask myself, what was I thinking. Three young women exploding with erratic and errant hormones is enough to bring the strongest working mom to her knees. For the SAHomeschoolingM there is no escape. Well, I guess that isn't quite true, because I do leave the house often now without anyone in tow. But this family life we have chosen builds pretty incredible relationships and puts you first in line for the best and the worst the kids have to offer.

As normal as my children appear and as stable as folks think our life must be, chaos lurks just below the surface. Twelve is a particularly challenging age, and when mild anxiety is thrown into the mix, volitility results. We hold her tight and help her breathe, but often the eruptions spiral upward so quickly that there isn't time to coach. It isn't unusual for this one to scream and declare she hates me, you would think after the numerous repetitions of this that I would become immune, but there is still a strong emotional gut reaction. Somehow it always feels personal, and as much as I know that she will tell me she didn't mean it when we can finally speak rationally, and that bad voice inside says, "You must not be a good mother."

Best Story of the Week

A friend of mine had one of those days...it began with the loss of a crown. She was able to get an appointment that morning and the dentist took all the necessary impressions for a proper replacement and glued a temporary crown in place, saying "That will hold you until the real one comes in." Well, as a snack that afternoon my friend decided on popcorn, maybe not the best choice for a temporary crown, but her choice. The inevitable happened on a crunchy kernal, the crown popped off. She carefully placed the crown on the table next to the bag of popcorn and set to planning another visit to the dentist. Daughter arrives and spots the bag of popcorn, instead of reaching in she first decides to pick up and consume all the stray bits on the table.

"This tastes awful" she says while spitting out the now mangled bit of metal.

At least her dentist will get a chuckle along with his extra work.

Well it has been longer than 3 days and she is still at it and even acing college quizzes. She has trouble when all is not perfect, refusing to accept that just because it isn't exactly the way it was planned it must not count. That perfectionism can be scary!

I didn't plan on perfectionism as a topic and cannot decide if continuing is the right decision at this time... must think.

In The Beginning...

The start of a new school year is always exciting for me. Over the summer, I'm so enthusiastic about making up new schedules and actually doing everything this year.

And then it starts great! And I'm rocking it! And my schedule is working! And I'm doing everything! And it's working!

For three days.

And then... I start deteriorating. I start getting frustrated because I don't understand the schoolwork I'm doing, and then I start procrastinating because I'm so frustrated and then I'm stressing out because I need to get all this done because I'm never getting into college and...

so, not much happens.

But this year is gonna be different (HA!). I'm taking a class at the local community college, I'm taking a few classes at other people's houses and I've only really got to do science and math by myself.

Looking realistically at my schedule as well, I think I'm going to have time to actually be working, at least a little bit during the week. I may not have as much free time as I'd like, but that gives me less time to freak out about everything, so we'll see.

I've got new books, new teachers, new attitude.

So how is this school year gonna work out?

I Fixed It

SO THERE, MA.

Environmental Waste

She didn't get rid of the video box yet, we don't even know where it came from because we don't use photobucket, so if anyone knows how to delete the darn thing please tell me as it is taking my daughter too long.

I feel a rant coming on, not about the daughter, she really is wonderful, but about negligent and irresponsible parents in bookstores. I know it isn't just bookstores but they offer the freshest stories. There has been an eight year old molested in the store, in the children's department. Predators know where to find them. This lovely young lady had only been left alone for about 10 minutes, and mom was just over looking at the sports books...it only takes a minute. Now we don't really publicize this event, we want people to feel safe, but I also want people to watch their kids. Remember this is a public place and anyone is welcome until they give us a reason to throw them out but that could be too late for your child. So if you wouldn't leave your kid alone at the Ohare Airport then don't leave them alone at the bookstore.

On any given weekend we have to dispose of hundreds of dollars of damaged merchandise, items that were mishandled, chewed on, colored in, opened, and used by children with and without parental supervision. All you green minded folks this is just unnecessary environmental waste, and directly increases consumer costs. I remember the days when children were expected to keep their hands in their pockets while shopping and merchandise that was broken was immediately purchased by the offending child's parent. I don't really expect children to keep their hands in their pockets but I do expect them to respect other people's property, and until a purchase transpires, that stuff in the store belongs to someone else. They need to be taught to touch and handle merchandise carefully, to return it to its proper place after looking it over, is that too much to ask?

I know it is, because the biggest offenders aren't really the children it's the adults.