The Best Homeschool Day

By Holly Giles | homeschooling


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It seems that the best homeschool day is sought after by many. New homeschool moms are on the quest to find it. Moms who are a few years in circle the wagons with newer, better curriculum to see if that will help them discover it. However, I discovered the best homeschool day quite by accident.

The Morning

The day started out normal. Grayson and Grant made their usual mess in the kitchen. It always leaves me wondering if anyone ever really listens to me about how to contain cereal and milk in a bowl and not a trail. Then the dog discovers the trail and turns the spilled milk into dirty paw prints across the floor. I added mopping to my list for the day.

My mind started its busy confusion of what needed to be accomplished in lessons, housework, and business. I realized there weren’t enough hours to accomplish it all. I let the dog out back and realized there was still a coolness in the air from our quick Florida cold snap.

Too Busy

Grant followed me outside and said,”Momma, can I take your for a boat ride this morning?”. My immediate reaction was no, I don’t feel like it today, I have too many things to do. Maybe another day. The look on his sweet face was pitiful. He replied, “It is so cool and beautiful right now, we could row over to the wooded patch and look for birds.”  Yes, let’s do it. I will forget that my back is killing me right now and the thought of sitting on that bench in that tiny little boat is painful.

It was wonderful. We were only gone thirty minutes. We saw birds and Grant told me all about his plans to work on his boat and build a fishing platform. He shared with me the materials he was going to use, why he thought it would improve the boat and how he wanted to ask Papa to help him.

The Lure

Upon our return, everyone did a few chores, started a load of laundry and I went to write out their lesson plans for the day. When I was finished, I went in search of the boys to get their lessons started but they were not in the house. I found them out in the yard practicing casting their fishing reels. Fishing is the sport around here. Not a day goes by that fishing is not discussed in some form. I called for their return to get the day going, we were falling behind, of course.

As math began, my whirlwind of mopping, sweeping, dishes and laundry stole away more time. I had writing to finish, a deadline to meet, a video to prep and bills to pay, but history, science, and handwriting still loomed.

Table Time

“Hurry up and finish math so we can do our table time!” I hollered from the laundry room. “Do we have to do table time today?” was the response. I prodded them and their books onto to the porch to at least soak up the breeze. Everyone scooted around here and there grabbing items as we gathered around the table outside.

I started with a history story, as usual, then a missionary story and next was bible stories. We are still in book one of Maxwell’s bible stories. The set was mine when I was a little girl. We have read from many but have gone back to start fresh with book one. We are on creation day six. I finished the story and both boys looked up and said “Please momma, one more!”.

When I looked up I realized Grant was plundering in his tackle box which was on the table and Grayson was tying a popper on his line. I wanted to tell them both to stop what they were doing so they could pay attention, but I didn’t.

I read one more chapter and then ended our table time with one more chapter from Little Men. We have been enjoying the escapades of the boys at Mrs. Jo’s Plumfield house. As I propped my feet up on a five-gallon paint bucket nearby, I settled in to read once more.

The Pull of Busyness

My mind kept going back to all that still needed to be done that day. The mess in the house, the errands, and preparations for a meeting later that day. However, I felt a feeling of contentment at that moment.

I looked up from my book and saw my boys working on the projects of their interest and listening intently to the story. They would stop me from reading now and again to point out the hummingbird that was feeding, the cardinal we call “scar” because he was hurt last year and the great white heron that flew in to catch fish.

The Best in the Ordinary

It was then I realized in this ordinary, busy day that this was the best homeschool day. This was what I had been searching for that in my mind was unattainable. I far from had the perfect school room. My house would never pass for a magazine cover and I never can get a meal plan in place.

Yet here we were. Right in the middle of the best homeschool day. Now that I think about it we have had many of these. However, my mind won’t stop thinking about how to make tomorrow better to stop and be content with today.

Today is the best homeschool day. I am sure it won’t be the entire day but there are moments. Many are silent. Often they are noisy. Some are messy and exhausting. Some make you want to tear up and others make you irritated. But each day that we have the privilege to educate our children in our home and train them up in the way they should go is the best day. Cherish it.

 

 


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About the Author

Holly Giles is a wife, mother, and storyteller. As an author and Florida Master Naturalist, she writes about heritage homemaking skills, motherhood, and why Florida offers the best hidden natural gems to explore as a family.