Expectations

From our home

Each year as I set out my children’s learning disciplines for the upcoming 36 weeks of schooling I find myself feeling a little overwhelmed as there seems to be so much to do! Still, I have been excitedly planning our studies focussing on South Africa using the Footprints Program, Apologia Science and Explore the Holy Land for our religious studies.

In a Living Education #18 I wrote about my children’s gardening endeavours. Our children have continued to enjoy their work in the garden and we have learnt some very interesting life lessons as we have gone along.

Here are some of the lessons we learnt which apply to the homeschool lifestyle. The first one was learnt by our littlest one with his sunflowers. He was a little impatient waiting for me to help him on planting day in September and planted most of his seeds in a shady spot. This produced a very low yield in flowers and eventually the snails attacked the seedlings. We did manage to rescue 2 of them and they now stand proud and tall, replanted in the direct sun. David learnt the lesson of patience and following instructions.

Our older son planted his seedlings in a shady spot as indicated in the directions but as he was not diligent in placing crushed egg shells around the plants, the snails attacked them and got the better of most of them. He learnt about handling disappointment and also that even when you do things right, there are always those “curve balls” that can destroy what you start.

Our younger daughter planted our container garden. She put two plants together that were not suitable and neither grew well, in fact one plant shrivelled and died. The other looked rather sick for a while. She learnt about choosing companions wisely.

Our oldest daughter has diligently cared for her veggies and herbs and we have enjoyed beans, green peppers, the herbs and await her tomato crop. She noticed that each day she would have to water her garden as it was in full sun. She learnt how important it is to find refreshing water in the Bible each day.

Mostly we learnt about expectations – and that planting a seed does not always bring about a certain product…there are other factors to take into consideration.

Charlotte Mason

I have written before of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy about helping our children to get one good habit entrenched at a time. When we set our expectations so high that we think that there will be a certain age when “everything will click” and our children will always obey, do their work promptly, overcome all their difficulties...then we are setting ourselves up for a fall.

Instead if we are diligent to take one area at a time to focus on in our children’s lives...ah...yes, and our own, then we are able to take things in our stride.

Perhaps you need to go right back to the beginning and learn to obey the Lord so that you can teach this to your children. Now there’s a habit we all need! What about learning to respond in love? Are these not the cornerstones to living a surrendered life? And a surrendered life is where God can work!

Family and Sibling Relationships

At a friends home I saw a chart on her wall that helped her children earn stars for days when they treated one another with love and kindness. When the star chart is full, they get a treat. I wondered to myself whether this would work and what the expectation would be of the children when grown up. Would they expect a treat each time they did the right thing? Or would they do the right thing just because it is right?

A dear friend of mine has often shared how part of training her children was teaching them to understand the principle that “Obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings pain.” Oh, how I have felt this in my life over the years before I knew the Lord and even thereafter. Is this not the expectation that we need to teach out children? Love is obedience, kindness is obedience, gentle speech is obedience and these things will bring such rich blessing in our children’s relationships.

Organizational Tips

I have a saying when it comes to really big jobs like some I had to tackle these holidays. There are also day to day chores that are yucky – like cleaning out the hutches, ironing or cleaning dog’s mess...my saying is “Just do it”.

Having a just-do-it mentality takes away the expectation that all homemaking jobs should be a blessing – some may have this thinking, but I find it hard when I am gagging over dirty guinea pig hutches!

How about this list for training yourself in a just-do-it mentality? Tracy has put together a list of 52 things to organize your life...one per week of the year. Take a look at Tracy’s 52 tips

Your Marriage

As our 17th wedding anniversary draws near I am reminded of all the times of growth I have experienced due to my husband being part of my life.

The other day I was stewing over an issue and the Lord told me that this was when love counts...when we don’t want to love! He told me to choose to show love right then, in the midst of my self indulgent stewing...simply put – just do it!

Find a simple thing to bless your husband, even if he doesn’t deserve it. Expectations can be so high in a marriage and can often destroy a special moment. Sometimes the simplest things can bless the most. Read more simple romantic ideas

Quote

Matthew 6:36 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Living books

This month my list of living books is for moms with little ones. Why? Well, the big job for our holidays was redoing our schoolroom. This entailed unpacking the shelves (we won’t tell anyone that they had not been unpacked for 5 yrs…sssh!), sanding and painting of desks, throwing out of unnecessary paper, and packing away books that need a rest.

Some of the books packed away have been loved and lived in for more than 10 years by my children. They are some of the books we used along with Five in a Row and Before Five in a Row. So if you are a mom of littlies…pay close attention to these books at the library or even buy them online

The Story of Ping
Night of the Moonjellies
Lentil
Blueberries for Sal
Jessie Bear
If Jesus Came to My House
Ask Mr Bear
Snowy Day
Going on a Bear Hunt
The Rag Coat
The Glorious Flight
Caps For Sale
Three Names
Mr Gumpy’s Motor Car
Katy and the Big Snow
Mike Mulligan’s Steam shovel

Read more picture story book reviews

Homeschool Curriculum For Life News!

Last month I mentioned the SBI special…and I couldn’t resist, so I took the plunge and bought another website which I have started during the holidays…so watch this space. My daughter has taken the free one to start her horse website over the next few months.

I have updated the page on chore allowances with an interesting looking program called Kid’s Wealth.

New articles can be found at Articles to Encourage

And lastly, as a firm believer in knowing what's for dinner, I am so glad to have found Menu in a Box - 100 day meal planning kit Be sure to have a look...it may bring you the menu planning help you need.

Take care until next time,
God’s richest blessings to you as you homeschool,
Wendy

PS Please pay it forward by sending this E-zine on to other homeschooling moms who will benefit from my thoughts. If you received this from a friend, sign up here