Three days in

“How’s homeschooling going?” Three days in, and already I’ve been asked this question several times.  My answer: not sure.  

If I remain positive and objective, it would appear we’ve already made progress despite lack of official curriculum.  Atlas is a proficient writer, and enjoys doing it.  He’s spent more time than I ever dreamed of doing math problems and multiplication drills.  A half hour here and a half hour there throughout the day add up quickly.  We’ve read three Roald Dahl (The BFG, Esio Trot and George’s Marvelous Medicine) books that the children adored and several other picture books.

On an emotional level I’m all over the place.  There are moments when I swear there is no a chance I can go on one more minute.  For instance after we left our neighbors house for a coffee/playdate and Zander threw a punching-name calling-pushing-screaming tantrum that went on for nearly 45 minutes after we got home.  Simultaneously, asked Atlas to continue on the math work we’d started prior to leaving and he got sassy.  I’ve never been good at multi-tasking when someone is screaming at me and this was no exception.  I swore I was done right then.  But, the moments when we are all three working at the table on different projects or discussing real ideas or listening to Atlas read his page long “biography” on his brother or reading together for an hour straight on the couch; in these moments I am more sure about the importance and fabulousness of what I am doing than just about anything else in the world.

My need to take each day, moment by moment is eminent.  Breathing and remembering that in a year I will probably laugh at whatever makes me furious now is crucial to homeschool survival. The moments when I can laugh are moments when we all win. 

Here is an example of one of those winning moments I just had:

Atlas was at work at the table picking out another science experiment to complete.  Zander went to the bathroom to fill his water cup to get a drink.  After a few minutes passed I went to check on Zander and found a soaked towel, water sprayed all over the mirror and the sink full.  “I’m doing science experiments.  I put the water up my nose and then I can spit it out.”