Let's be honest. Not like usual.
Homeschoolers are fecund.
Not every homeschooler on the planet will have numerous offspring, but I think it's safe to say that we reproduce on the high side of average.
Maybe it's because we don't have TV's. Because we all don't. But lets steer away from crippling stereotypes, shall we.
Of course, I don't know.
Well, I'd like to make some commentary about this particular concern. "I won't have enough time for all the children." It's true, we don't really have enough time. As in, there are always a gazillion things to do. We have to make time. We have to simplify our lives, creating space (both physical space, emotional space and space on the counter) - to do the things we want to do. Like spend enough time with our kids.
Factoring time in our day to spend with our kids is pretty important. Particularly when we are homeschooling, because we want them to have knowledge.
So when the question of not having enough time is the one that concerns us the most, there are a couple of important considerations.
Homeschoolers are fecund.
Not every homeschooler on the planet will have numerous offspring, but I think it's safe to say that we reproduce on the high side of average.
Maybe it's because we don't have TV's. Because we all don't. But lets steer away from crippling stereotypes, shall we.
Of course, I don't know.
Well, I'd like to make some commentary about this particular concern. "I won't have enough time for all the children." It's true, we don't really have enough time. As in, there are always a gazillion things to do. We have to make time. We have to simplify our lives, creating space (both physical space, emotional space and space on the counter) - to do the things we want to do. Like spend enough time with our kids.
Factoring time in our day to spend with our kids is pretty important. Particularly when we are homeschooling, because we want them to have knowledge.
So when the question of not having enough time is the one that concerns us the most, there are a couple of important considerations.
- What else is taking up our time, and how can we streamline. Let's slot the family time in first and work all else around that.
- It's the "before going to school" years that children are neediest. So, it can feel like having enough time is a huge challenge. But once kids play more independently, have a few siblings (another small bonus to fecundity) learn to read, ride a bike, order their own books off of amazon, there will be days when you feel like you hardly see them except at meal time.
- Children take up a lot more of our energy (read: time) when they are operating on a deficit. Ongoing crises, upsets and misdemeanours are WAY more likely if their tanks are empty. Focussing on positive interaction and filling their tanks BEFORE they are low means they are taking up way less time in the negative way. Reading or playing together in a friendly environment nourishes all of us. Picking up limp and screaming children from the floor and breaking up fights suck the life out of us. It feels like a lot more time because it's so draining. And because we hate it so much.