How to Get Them to Get It Done?

I just finished grading all the schoolwork from last week.  

Can I just whine for a moment and say, "Uuuugh!"

Do any of you homeschooling parents out there ever feel like this???  Surely I am not alone!

I check over the boys' work daily as best I can, but these last few weeks have been filled with many appointments, car trouble, ice and snow...just stuff ya know?

Life happens.  I know this.  I am ten years into this schooling adventure.  I try to live by the motto, "Blessed are the flexible for they don't get bent out of shape."  Frustrated and fighting failure, however, I still find myself struggling some days not to be uptight about it all.

I can say that these days are fewer and further between.  I have learned that it isn't usually a huge big deal.  I used to totally freak out that I was completely ruining my kids!  By now, though, I have seen enough good fruit come out of each school year that I know they are doing okay.

The problem is I don't think I'm okay with okay.  I probably need to examine why.  Why does it grip me with anxiety, worry, and fear that they may not know a certain amount in grammar or math?  Do I fear other people and what they think?  Am I staying focused on what God has told me to do with them?

Honestly, one of the hardest things for me is the differences between my first-born, self-motivated, extremely-driven son and my two younger sons.

I don't at all wish the other two were just like their big brother.  Garrison is super-intense and it is hard for him to just relax, kick back, have fun, and be a kiddo.  Of course, I am thankful for his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence in responsibility.  It makes things much easier on me.  Alex and Trey are definitely more laid back, but it would help to see a little more drive in them that would also be helpful, especially since dad is out of town so much and it's just me trying to keep up with everything.  

I can definitely say Alex and Trey have greatly matured in this, their 7th year of homeschooling.  This year actually started off quite bumpy, but they quickly started working harder on their own.

I guess I just wish they would continue on and do better about daily chores and responsibilities without constant hounding.  I don't really have any creative ideas flowing about how to change that right now.  Maybe I can look up some tips today.

Let me know if you have some wisdom to pass along in this area.  We do great on the days I have nothing else going on, but how do you enforce responsibilities when you have to do other things???