Blessed Are the Flexible

I am so happy to share that the new schedule has helped unbelievably!  

Both younger boys have stayed on task last week and this week! 

Wait...are you clapping?  I think I hear applause from all the fellow frustrated mommas out there!  (wink)

This can sure be a challenging journey, can't it?  What works for one child doesn't work for another.  The one curriculum you buy doesn't click in the mind of the next kiddo.  As soon as you think you have a routine that brings a good daily flow, something unexpected hits and throws everything out of whack!

Memorize this saying: Blessed are the flexible, for they don't get bent out of shape!

The best advice I could give about homeschooling is to remain flexible.

Realize that God says to train up a child in the way HE should go.  It doesn't say to train up a child in the way they should go.

It just happened this time that this particular attempt at a schedule has helped both boys, but I was already thinking in my mind that I needed to be ready to change it up for one of them if it didn't quite work.  I was keeping myself flexible!

The flexibility did come in this week when I saw how tired they were though.  We had some decent weather that allowed them to play outside and it wore them out.  The beauty of home learning is that you can also teach them how to take care of their whole self.

Learning to prioritize and take care of yourself emotionally and physically is just as important as learning academic subjects!  We don't have to jump up and rush off in the mornings so if I see a boy in puberty who I know will benefit from 10 hours of sleep and be more productive later, I'm going to let him sleep!

I had to be flexible and let the exact time to the minute go.  For me, I have done this gig long enough to think about that before I made the schedule, but for the benefit of those who don't know that yet, I wanted to share.  

The exact time isn't really the issue as much as being able to manage the time you do have and the tasks you have to do.  I am teaching my sons how life happens.  Some days you are just more tired than others and if you can rest, then do so!  Take care of yourself so you can be the best you possible.  But always rearrange things as you need to in order to meet your responsibilities.

I am also blessed to see the confidence both of my boys gained through implementing this new schedule.  They realized they can be as productive as their big brother when they want to be, and this was important for them.  They watch him and they see him be rewarded for his honor and responsibility.  They needed to see that they have the same opportunities and that we believe in them!

So stay flexible and keep trying new ideas.  Some will work.  Some will bomb.  But, eventually, you will find your groove and you will reap the precious fruit of a determined family!