But then I think of the attention they could get from me, attention that only I can give. For instance. D is having a really hard time with Math, spelling, reading. So, his teacher sent home a few worksheets for him to do at home that he wasn't able to finnish at school. I sat down with him and he tried to do the math problems with a number line, ya know where if you are adding then you count ahead and if you are subtracting then you count back. The poor kid just can't seem to understand it. He understands that you need to jump forward or backwards at the appropriate time, he just doesn't understand that you need to start counting on the next number. So, we have some cute bug clips that I pulled out for him to count. He did this and he didn't like it but it seemed that it started to click better in his brain.
You see he is a wiggly willy kind of guy and he needs to be able to touch and learn with that sense. When he is given a sheet of paper with 100 problems on it, it is so overwhelming that he just wants to cry and he did cry. So, I feel that as his Mom I would be able to see that it is just too much for him. Not that he shouldn't do 100 problems but he needs it broken up more. He can do a worksheet with maybe 10 or 15 problems and then maybe a game or activity that has him figure out math problems, and then he could even do math games on the computer. And in reality he could be doing more than 100 problems, but they are FUN!! And then once he gets the hang of math, then I could give him math sheets that have more math problems on them.
In all reality homeschooling sounds great, but I wonder if I will be able to keep up, I wonder if I will want to spend all the time needed to teach.
I need to pull myself out of this rut, I know I can do this. I feel that it is what my kids need, it just seems so overwhelming.
I totally "get" the discouragement. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't wonder if I'm messing up my kids for life. Or if I'm missing something vital that they need to know. It is so easy to feel like I'm not enough.
ReplyDeleteOne quote that picks me up a little when I feel like I can't do it (from DC 88:78): "Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain to the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand."
In other words, as long as we are persistent, He will help us succeed. You don't have to do it alone!
I understand being discouraged now that I'm actually reading about homeschooling. If I was under a time constraint to get going, it's be so overwhelming!
ReplyDeleteThank you guys! I am so glad that I am not in this alone. I am also glad that I have made a plan to wait till the next school year. At least we can have a little time to adjust to the new baby. Thank you for your support.
ReplyDeleteI understand that discouragement as well. I think I struggle most with how are the kids compared to other children. I have much experience with children, but not as much in the actual setting. Should I expect more from Trent's writing or should I expect just progress? Should I push Haylee harder in reading or just let her flow through in her reading (since that is her strong subject)? But the amount of family bonding and enjoyment with one another has more than outweighed my concerns. I think that you will find homeschooling benefits more than just the academic areas. Yes, there are days where I feel like I NEVER get a break, but those days are fewer and farther between than they ever were when my kids were in school. I am really struggling with what to do next year. I love homeschooling and the kids seem to really enjoy it. But Dave will be in the middle east again, I won't be living with my mom this time, and I want to go back to school myself and get my teaching certificate. I just don't know what to do! The well being of your children is always such a hard thing to decide. I feel very thankful I have the gospel to help me.
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