So this is my official announcement for all of you who have been waiting on pins and needles, whose lives have been put on hold by the suspense:
In the fall I will HOMESCHOOL my children.
For months I have wrestled with this decision, shoving it back into the recesses of my brain only to have the urge I was trying to supress grow even larger and more intensive. Finally, when my son Elijah received a regular old portable CD player for his 9th birthday (not an iPod mind you) and reveled, I mean totally lit up like a Christmas tree over it, singing his sensative, non-sports loving, emotionally perceptive heart out to the Les Miserables soundtrack, the deal was sealed for me. I felt the spark of his (and his siblings') uniqueness, saw the window of my influence swiftly closing, and dove for the chance to keep them interested in learning, contented with simplicity, and undistracted by the pressure and sometimes just plain cruelty of their peers.
I am terrified.
This blog will deal only with our Homeschooling journey. I have many questions to ask and just as many emotions to work through. These next few months will be ones of preparation as I plan for an adventure I still can't believe I am embarking on. Feel free to inundate me, encourage me, and educate me with your wisdom!
About Me
- Molly Sabourin
- I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter and a friend. I am also an Orthodox Christian, a columnist for the Handmaiden, a podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio and the author of, "Close to Home: one orthodox mother's quest for patience, peace and perseverance." To find out more about my book, visit http://closetohome.ning.com.
Subscribe
RSS Feed (xml)Powered By
Skin Design By:
Blogger XML Skins
Blogger XML Skins
12 comments:
Hi Molly -
Just wanted to offer a word of encouragement; my siblings are 17 and 13 and have been homeschooled all along. It's been a really, really, really wonderful journey for our family, and because of it I look forward to homeschooling my kids someday.
I think you'll do great :-)
I am very happy for you, it sounds as if your heart has found it's peace. Yea!!! I wish you all the best!!! Love, Jenn
Dearest Molly!
You can do it! I will be right there, mon ami!
OH! There will be days but that is in everything we moms do!
The truth is, you will be on the most fantastic "ED"venture with your beloved children!
Be at peace with your decision and take one day at a time - Thank God that is all He gives. I simply could not handle more than that!
I am thrilled that you decided to "Join in our Crusade"...how do you like that line from Les Miserables? This happens to be our FAVORITE musical! See, I knew that you are a kindred spirit!
If you ever, ever need anything...do not hesitate to call on me...
Much love!
I like your blog title. That perfectly describes my feelings about Homeschooling as well. How nice it would be to know that in a couple of short years, my eldest would be in school. A few years later, the next would be gone as well: FREEDOM!
But then to have them, like me, feel the need to spend the four (or more!) years after college learning "how the world really works," how men and women really are different, how truth really does exist and some things are just plain wrong, how religion and rationality can actually coexist.
Those are the reasons I feel I must homeschool my children. And yet, I have no idea what I'm going to do.
Yes, yes! Sorry to be so self-absorbed, but this is exactly what I need: communication with those have been homeschooled, with those who are die hard believers in home education, and with those like myself who have crashed into this decision and are still somewhat reeling from the mental, philosophical, and emotional whiplash. At this point, I know I love my kids more than I fear my weaknesses - everything else is up for grabs. I would honored to have your input along the way!
I don't have any experience yet to offer you, but I deeply admire your courage. I have a 15 month old son, and I've wanted to homeschool my babies since before I was married. After I became Orthodox, I became more convinced that it was a good gift to give a child. Have you ever read "Raising Them Right" by St Theophan the Recluse? He says some very wise words that can easily be applied as support for homeschooling an Orthodox child.
I look forward to reading about your adventures!
Take heart-- I know a Matushka who is the wife of a military chaplain who began homeschooling her three school-age children the year that her fourth baby was born and her husband deployed to Afghanistan for 15 months. She said the transition was hard, but that once they got into the swing of things, they all loved it!
God bless you!
Here's some sites that might help...let me know what you think...I like the feedback.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orthodoxclassicalhs/
http://www.paideaclassics.org/index.php
http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1
http://susanwisebauer.com/
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
http://home.att.net/~d.hiffernan/charlottemason.html
I want to also highly recommend the Orthodox homeschool list that Kelley Lynn mentioned. I have been on it maybe 4 years, and like it so much that I didn't unsubscribe during the 2 years I wasn't homeschooling anyone!
Also, the Paidea site has FREE handwriting pages for many many different feast and saint days.
Let me know if you go the "Well-Trained Mind" route. I could lend/give you several things!
FWIW, I think you will be at an advantage having had your kids in school for a period: you may know more clearly what's necessary, what's busy work, what is unique and extraordinary, and what needs to be worked on with your kids. I always assumed the worse with my ow n kids, regardless of how many years ahead in math they were, regardless of their reading abilites, and even regardless of standardized tests (which I gave to alleviate my fears). I think one of the big problems was having no group to compare to, just other individual children --- and I know I have a propensity to only note the brilliant, astonishing, and overachieving children. Once the kids spent some time in school, I really had a sense of where they stood, and that I had done JUST FINE!
You can too! Love, Janine
O.K, three things:
First of all,Laura, thank you for the story about the Matushka who homeschooled her four little ones while her husband was deployed for over a year - that certainly does put things in perspective!I need to pick up "Raising them Right" again as it has been several years since I read it. Maybe Lent would be a good time to do that.
Second, thank you very much to Kellylynn for not only your camaraderie but your resource info. as well. I am excited to delve into the websites you mentioned.
Janine,
It means more than you can imagine to have your encouragement, input, and advice with this. I have always looked up to you as an example of perseverance, hard work, and humility - especially when it comes to motherhood. I love that you make decisions based less on your personal philosophies and preferences and more on your childrens' individual needs and strengths. I have been watching and learning from you for years now.
I feel less afraid already.
Molly -
I'm floored.
I'm excited.
I'm amazed.
I've been thinking about you and feeling sad for your insecurities in homeschooling.
Then I realized that being insecure in our own inabilities is exactly the best place to be.
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1 -
'Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; ... But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." '
All that to say - I thought we all needed a boost of self-confidence to overcome our doubts and insecurities.
NO, we need a boost of God-confidence!
If He's calling me to homeschool, then I have to trust He'll equip me, smooth over my failures and faults.
Meanwhile, my focus needs to shift from me to Him; from what I'm doing wrong, to what He's doing right in my life and the life of my children.
I'll stop there. Love you Molly - wish I could give you an injection of God-confidence. :)
Well, look at you Michelle! All absolutely right and encouraging! I'll give you and your parents the details this weekend.
Hi- Also check out St. Michael Orthodox Church in Santa Rosa CA. They have a school and have articles, ideas, and supplies which can be purchased. Beth
Post a Comment