We started school on Monday.
We started without fanfare.
We started without a special breakfast.
We started without taking pictures of the first day of school.
And even though I am reasonably certain that my oldest 3 children would not even want any of those things, it still bothers me. It’s one of the disadvantages of Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, etc. I see all the special things that other people do, and I feel like a failure because I didn’t make a big deal out of the first day back to school.
Why?
How can you tell if feeling discontentment about the way things are in your life is a sign that you need to change things?
Should I make a point of making a bigger deal out of special occasions? Time always sneaks up on me.
Or that you need to seek contentment in your current circumstances?
Are we just not that type of family?
I don’t know.
Our first week back was a little rocky. Not terribly so, but certainly not smooth.
David wants to know the reason behind every assignment I ask him to complete.
William hates every thing about school. On the positive side, I did figure out a way to get him to do some independent reading. He has to read a chapter in an approved book before he can play on the Wii.
Anna was very happy to get back to school. It’s nice that I don’t have to worry about her, but frustrating that all my energy is drained in schooling the boys so I don’t have energy to reward her by helping her with sewing or things that she wants to learn.
Lizzie for the most part is happy. She did not want to do any school work on Monday. I talked to her about her poor attitude, and she went to pray about it. She was a changed little girl the rest of the week. That makes me smile.
Andrew also was happy. He was into everything, but he does seem to have adjusted to missing his morning nap. I have not adjusted to him not taking it, but taking a morning nap made it so he couldn’t sleep in the afternoon. That was far worse than being awake in the morning. I definitely need to work on our schooling schedule.
As I sit here and think about this, I realize that I’ve forgotten something. We did do something not exactly to celebrate the first day of school, but to commemorate the last weekend of summer. Does that count?
Last weekend we had a wonderful time camping as a family.
It’s amazing how quickly I forget!
I hesitate to post these somewhat disjointed and depressing musings of mine. But I feel more encouraged after writing them, so maybe my discouragement will help someone else.
By Kristen H.
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one with a some what bumpy start, though I’m not happy you had one. I like the idea of having to read a whole chapter in an approved book before the Wii. Right now our youngest is reading with Paul every day, and that’s working. As far as making the first day of school a big deal, if it’s not what your family does, then that’s ok. You don’t need to make it a big deal just because other families do. We are all different, and that’s how the Lord made us. And I think having a big fun ending to summer sounds like a great idea. And honestly to me it means the same thing, ending or beginning, you are doing things together as a family. That’s what is most important. 🙂
If it makes you feel better, there wasn’t any fanfare when we started school this year. I’ve taken pictures in the past few weeks, but I didn’t have the kids pose for any special “first day of school” photos. Maybe I’m just not that type of mom.
“How can you tell if feeling discontentment about the way things are in your life is a sign that you need to change things?” I wish I knew!!
You have no idea how much your words are speaking to me tonight! I love your honesty and heart in your writing.
Every year I want to start our school day with something special and every year it doesn’t happen. We have no first day of school pictures at all. I try and really want to do some of those things but it does just sneak up on me. We haven’t started school yet and this year I did want to do something so we’ll see.
This is my first year homeschooling a high schooler so it should be interesting =)
Love the camping pictures. Beautiful family!