Thinking about the school year, I’m wondering how to fit it all in again, this business of teaching five children.
For me, one big issue is keeping up with the higher level work my teens are doing so that I can help, discuss, and teach as appropriate for the subject. That involves planning each course in detail, reading the material, finding time to think about the material, and setting up marking schemes far ahead of time. It especially involves allowing myself time for these things.
Another big issue is spending adequate time with the little ones, who need patience and an enthusiastic Mama. I’ll have to plan for that with enough sleep, good food, and sensible nutrition.
The final issue is marking the work. For the little ones, this is easy. I correct as we go, a little bit at a time. As the children get older, they can be responsible for some of their own daily corrections. On the other hand, upper level assignments sometimes involve a lot of marking, all at once. What’s more, I need to do more than just provide feedback; I need to assign a grade, and that is difficult. My teens will need to give me whatever is ready to mark as soon as they have finished it, so I can fit it into my day. Also, I’ll need to give myself a bit of extra time for marking the big assignments.
And there it is. It’s not enough just to know my priorities and to be disciplined enough to meet them. I also need to allow time for them.
This is my big challenge for next year: rearranging commitments to have time for what is truly necessary and important. It’s encouraging to know that God gives us all the time we need to do what He wants us to.
This post is entered in Thirsty Thursdays: Satisfying our Kids’ Thirst for Knowledge One Sip at a Time
Thank you for this great reminder. God has given us all the time we need. Thank you, thank you!
~Erin
We homeschool too. http://gahome2mom.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Those are some of my issues as well. I have struggled with spending enough time with my 2 younger children because of the demands of teaching the older ones.
Having an "only," and seeing how difficult it can be to hs, I have great respect for those of you who have several children. What a work of patience, diligence, perseverance, and love!
And always remember, you are not alone in your journey. The Lord is right there with you, ready to impart wisdom, grace, strength, and anything else you need.
I am of course in the same boat. Six kids, though all are under 10 so we don't yet have high school to cope with. It takes such wisdom. I am struggling with anxiety now that we have officially started school. How do I best organize my time so that all that needs to be done, is done?
One other big issue is that my husband and I need to make time for each other. A marriage doesn't roll along well without putting work into it, and that works takes time. I try to commit most evenings a week to spending time with my husband after the children are in bed, which means I have to do everything else during the day.
It's a juggling act. I am so thankful for the promises of James 1, that God will give us wisdom if we ask for it. God, please grant us wisdom.
Yes, for each of us, it's all about relying on God's wisdom. May God bless all of us as we try, every day and every minute, to do what He wants us to!