Making Peace With Not Being THAT Homeschool Mom

So recently I posted about homeschooling through the challenge of remodeling.

Today I'm going through boxes of books and papers and things that were on the shelves before we packed everything up to move it out of the living room. The two bookshelves are back in the living room but I don't want them all junked out anymore! We have too many things we don't even use! And I realized the problem is:

I AM NOT THAT HOMESCHOOL MOM.

You know, that totally organized mom who gets it all done most days. Who checks off her lesson planner items like it's no big deal. Then gets the kids to do the chores and makes a lovely dinner before heading out to volunteer.

I maybe used to be when I only had one kid homeschooling and two others who played nicely together most of the time. Then something hit me around the time I had kids four and five. I got overwhelmed. Life took over. Interestingly enough, the kids still learn. Score one point for the unschoolers!

Actually, I don't know many who are THAT homeschool mom. We are all kind of just doing the best we can and we have made peace with the fact that we are not all the same and that our kids won't all know the same stuff.

I came across this piece of paper I had saved for about 6 years for some reason. It was a sample schedule a friend had written up while she was homeschooling her 4 kids. I remember looking at it and thinking WHAT THE HELL? I CAN'T DO THAT! BUT I WILL TRY!

It went something like this:

7:30 breakfast,dishes to kitchen, brush teeth
Prayer
Flashcards
Reading
Phonics
Handwriting
Free Time
English
Snack
Math
Religion
Lunch at noon
Set table, clear table, load dishwasher
Reading
Quiet time for kids and chores
Art or social studies or science
Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet
Chore for day
Supper and book on tape
Clear/wipe table
Baths and bed; oldest kid reads

And today it went into the recycle bin. My problem with this was that it did not build in pool time. Or social time with their friends. Or heading to the nature center. Or hanging out with grandparents at the nursing home. Or American Heritage Girls or Scouts. And I think kids learn a lot from all of THOSE things, as well.

I am not that mom who has perfectly structured days. There are days when we get it all done, and sometimes that means I'm reading History to somebody at 9 p.m. while we lounge in bed. But the idea of getting all the homeschooling done between the hours of 7:30 and 3:30 is just not me.

For one thing, my kids need to sleep in so I can work and make money for the family in the mornings when my brain works. Then as they wake up, generally from oldest to youngest, the homeschool fun begins. After lunch is on-the-go time and nighttime picks up a little more schoolwork. That's what works for us. Might not work for you. Good thing we are all different.

P.S. She doesn't homeschool anymore. Maybe got burnt out?!