Homeschooling is not an easy task. It is not for everybody. But if you truly believe it is what is best for your child, then it will take commitment on your part as a parent to ensure it goes on in the way you intend it to be.
A big part of homeschooling also depends on how you’ve built your relationship with your child. I personally believe that if you created an environment of trust and respect for your child and constantly nourished it, then trust and respect become their currency. It will not be perfect, but it becomes the seedbed for the virtue of responsibility for your child, as well as for other important virtues they will need to learn when they face the world on their own later on.
When I needed to go back to work full time, my kids would go to a homeschool support center at first. This was a great help as I felt assured that more difficult subjects like Math were being taken care of by a trained teacher. They were able to finish the difficult subjects first, but there were still some subjects that needed to be done.
With 5 kids homeschooling, it was also beginning to be a little costly on our part to maintain the homeschool support center. Paul also felt that with those initial subjects almost already done, the others could probably be done by our kids at home on their own. I thought that this could be a real test if they could really do homeschool on their own.
I was really worried at first that their homeschooling will be neglected. Truth be told, in the beginning, that’s pretty much what happened. They weren’t productive with their time and were distracted doing other things instead of what they needed to do. Paul and I felt something needed to be done.
The Family Meeting
We sat down for a family meeting with the remaining 4 who were homeschooling. My eldest daughter Anya had already graduated and moved to the regular brick-and-mortar for Senior High. In that family meeting, we talked about the value of time and how it is one commodity in life that you can never take back. Money can be re-earned, but time once used, is done. So we put emphasis on how many things can be done with the time that was given to us.
Next, we agreed on timelines. I went through each of the subjects they needed to do and the tasks that needed to be done for each. I spent time really sorting through each of their subjects, took a look at the suggestions and corrections given by the counselors about their submitted work and gave my own suggestions as to how to better write the book report or the paper that needs to be submitted. Then we agreed on a submission due date. Say, we agreed to submit a history paper by the end of the week. Or an English test by the end of the day. Then hold them to it. Ask them if it is doable for them or not. Let them speak their mind and listen if they say, “I am not sure I can do that by today… or this week”. I sometimes ask them to come up with their own schedule – something that they crafted on their own so they feel responsible for their own commitments. This is where you need a LOT of patience as sometimes, the schedule isn’t met and we have to adjust.
The Implementation
Whenever I leave the house to go to work in the morning, the real test happens for them. They usually come down for breakfast at around 8:30 or 9:00 am then they proceed to what they have to do. I give them the morning to do what they have to do (eat breakfast, take a bath and start on the work that needs to be done).
At noon time, that’s when I start sending them messages on our Family Homeschooling Group Chat and remind them about our agreements. Around that time also, sometimes I receive alerts from the school in the US about any feedback regarding their paper etc. which I share with them so they are made aware of what to do or if they have to revise anything in their book reports or what. The Family chat is also where they communicate their challenges in doing a task. I give suggestions and if need be, I tell them I can help them when I get home later that day.
When I get home, I usually get a rundown of what they accomplished for the day. They share their highs and lows for the day and things they are still in the process of doing. It’s a quick chat as most of the time, I have to go to the kitchen and cook dinner for the family. Sometimes, we carry on the chat while I cook. If they still need a listening ear, I stay a little and listen to their stories while they wash dishes or clean up the dinner table.
My after dinner time is usually reserved for those who are going to regular school. I have to check if they have homework and if they’ve done it or if they need help in doing it, then I supervise.
After all is done for the day for the kids, later in the evening, I attend to answering reply slips or prepare the things the kids who go to regular school need such as preparing their snacks and lunch, preparing the ingredients for breakfast and dinner the following day and setting the table for breakfast (doing this the night before saves me at least 5 minutes of extra work). I lay-out the lunchboxes and water bottles in such a way that I can work pretty much mechanically when I see them the following morning. Sometimes, if you’ve lacked some sleep in the evening, and you’re not in the best up-and-about disposition when you wake up, it helps that things are laid out in the morning and all you need to do is stuff them in their lunchboxes the following day. I must admit, I’ve even prepared a sticky note stuck to my phone listing down – in order of priority – what I have to do first, then next, then last. Maybe it’s the teacher in me that kicks in whenever I do this. I often think I have to prepare everything in a certain order that, should I die, anyone who will have to take over, will know exactly what needs to be done.
Anyway, I just wanted to end by saying that, it takes a LOT of patience in order to homeschool, home manage and work full time all at the same time. I don’t even know how I’ve managed to do this. Again, it’s not perfect. There are days when we do lag and fall behind (sometimes WAAAY behind), but the important thing is to just keep at it. Pick up from where you’ve stopped and just start again! The important thing is you’re doing something about it and have not lost hope. So if ever you are thinking of doing this, my advice is to think and pray about it and have an introspective assessment and be honest about what you can and cannot do. It’s not for everyone but if you feel you are up for the challenge and the rest of the family is ok with it – then go! I wish you all the luck!
Happy thoughts everyone!
SIGnature 