What Home Schooling Looks Like.

I really hesitate to show you this picture.

But this is what home schooling here looks like a lot of days. Today was rainy, so I knew we wouldn't be going anywhere. Why bother telling Isabel that a poka dot shirt doesn't really go with her zebra print stretch pants (I wish you could see them better in the picture, they are wonderfully hideous.) Why bother putting pants back on Sylvia after she has proudly taken them off for the hundredth time. Notice the messy hair, dirty sippy cup and random vacuum hose.

Last summer before I started home schooling, I had this idea that to be productive we would start and finish school at the same time every day, have a certain order in which we studied our subjects and that our schoolroom would look like a public school. My point is, I've learned that combed hair and a strict schedule looks nice, but is not ideal (at least not for us.) I know I know, teaching cleanliness, hygiene, punctuality and all that is important and I do that. Now that I am home schooling, I have kids home during the day (more messes) and I am doing school with them (less time for me to be cleaning) so I know that I need to be okay with occasional clutter (okay let's face it, I've always been okay with that one.) I want my kids to enjoy our learning time together which means I need to be more flexible on our schedule so that we are not feeling stressed and rushed. And their hair and clothes, I promise I have them well groomed at least half the time (yeah right, what a lie) and here is a picture to prove it and to cancel out the picture above.

I am writing all of this not to complain, but to be honest and say that this is what home schooling looks like and yet, we had a fun and productive school time today! Twenty years from now I will look at the second picture and remember how cute looking my kids were, but I know when I look at the first picture I will have wonderful memories of discovery, accomplishments, excitement and learning with my children.