What I've been thinking about is (what I'm calling) The Stages of a New Homeschooler's Emotions. In my mind, there are two versions: the parent's and the child's. I have a feeling that someone out there on a homeschooling blog or forum has already developed this concept...but I don't typically enjoy browsing random blogs or forums looking for random information. (So if you know of a good article, pass it along!)
Lately, I've been pondering the child's stages of emotion. We are in our 11th week...but I'd say that by week 10, the rose colored glasses were officially folded up and packed away. Stage One, for Sandra, was Elation. She was beside herself the entire summer at the prospect of homeschooling. And that momentum probably carried her for a good eight weeks. But after about eight weeks, things started getting more difficult. The material became more challenging. The routine started getting old.
So I'm calling Stage Two the Reality Check. I get a lot more push-back from her these days. A lot more whining and complaining. The disillusionment is gone. Reality has set in. I think I have the home court advantage here in some ways, though...because as much as she can fight me about doing her work, she'd still rather be here than back at her school.
So...these last few weeks have been a bit more challenging for me. Navigating new waters, I suppose. Thankfully, I knew this phase was coming because of my homeschooling friends who have gone before me. Still, I'm open for any tips and tricks you may have up your sleeve for parents or children regarding perseverance, choosing joy, working hard, etc. (Scripture memory seems to be key here, so feel free to share more scripture suggestions; but I'm open to other advice, too!)
