Reality

Yesterday, I sat down to write a blog but had no clue what to write about. So, what did I do? Naturally, I did what everyone else does... I searched the internet for inspiration from others. I even asked AI for suggestions.

A few ideas seemed promising, but when I tried writing, I still struggled. Of course, there is nothing wrong with seeing what others are doing, so why was I having so much trouble? Finally, I turned to the one source where I knew I could find a good answer.

My husband

A few things you need to know about my man. He is loud and not afraid to say what he thinks, which is nothing like me at all. He's a big jokester, a gentle giant, and has such a good heart. I can trust him with anything!

So, naturally, I told him everything. "No, don't do that," he says. And I agreed. I can't be other people when God has called me to be me. And when I asked him if he had any ideas, he simply said, "Write about what I said earlier." I heard that and knew what I needed to write about.

What did he say earlier?

I honestly couldn't tell you word for word what he was talking about. Sometimes I have no clue what he is talking about when he talks about work, but I try to understand the best I can, all while my brain is saying...

"What does that mean?"

"He's so handsome."

"Oh, he's told me about this before."

"He's so smart!"

"He doesn't give himself enough credit."

"What are the kids doing?"

What I recall about what he mentioned earlier is this: "If they let me go, then it will be okay."

Need some context? Here it is!

You might recall that many people unjustly lost their jobs back in 2020. Well, he was in that boat. With that experience has come some fear and anxiety that we are continually working through. Him especially. No, he's not doing anything wrong in his current job, and there are no signs that he will be losing his job. If anything, I firmly believe that he will be at this job for a very long time, and even if that’s not the case, we both understand that God has a plan. Our trust is in Him.

Reality

That is the word that came to mind as soon as he said, "Write about what I said earlier." Why? I really don't know, but I knew that was exactly what I was supposed to write about, even if this whole blog ended up being just for me.

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

When we started our homeschooling journey in September 2024, I had a clear vision of how everything would go. We would read all the books together, and I would do read-alouds while my wonderful children listened attentively. They would quickly grasp math concepts and learn to read in no time. Perhaps you had similar expectations.

Now that we are seven months into our second year, which is the first year of homeschooling everyone, I find myself remembering those wild ideas I had, and I can't help but laugh.

Those ideas weren't realistic.

I am all for dreams, ideas, goals, and hopes. It's okay to have those things; it's okay to try to make those things a reality. However, there is this idea of reality being what you see on Instagram or Pinterest. Believe me, I like Instagram and Pinterest, but how much of it is real? You really don't know.

In the beginning, I was comparing what our homeschool looked like to Instagram, trying to make our homeschool look like what everyone else was doing. It was tiring and disheartening. Praise God, I've learned a lot in the last two years, and I'm thankful for the reminder that I'm not called to be like everyone else. I'm me, and you are you. Your homeschool shouldn't look exactly like everyone else's.

My Children's Reality

• Busy Hands.

  Like many children, mine always need to be occupied with an activity. Therefore, when I attempt a read-aloud session at home, they don't simply sit and listen. They need something to do with their hands while I read. Play-Doh or Legos are my go-to right now. Sometimes, I even read to them while they eat their lunch. We might not read for extended periods each time, but we still make time for reading.

• Busy Feet.

  Children shouldn't just sit still! Learning is more than just sitting and doing a workbook. Even though workbooks do have their importance, I just know that playing is still so important. If the weather permits, we are outside, running, playing, riding bikes, and going for walks. Outside is our favorite place to be.

• Busy Brains.

  Children are constantly growing and learning; they honestly amaze me. My babies can take a stick and literally make up a game that keeps them busy for hours. They are so smart, but that doesn't always mean that everything comes easily. Just today, I looked at my 5-year-old, who was having trouble with her math, and told her, "You will get it. It might be easy for Mom, but Mom has been doing this since she was your age. You are learning this for the first time." Maybe she learns differently; maybe looking at a page isn't the best way for her to grasp a concept. There is no one-size-fits-all for learning, and for that, I am glad.

Be Yourself

I could ramble on, but I'm pretty sure I've already done that. So I'll leave you with a couple quotes.

"To be nobody but yourself in a world doing its best to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human can ever fight and never stop fighting." -E.E. Cummings

“Homeschooling is like crafting with glitter. It’s messy and scary, but oh so worth it.” -Unknown

You got this mama!