There are certain things that just go along with
homeschooling.
(and here is where every homeschooler reading this can't wait to see if they are a "normal" homeschooler or not. Oh, the social pressures... :p)
In light of the (fabulously) approaching summer, I thought it would be fun to list off some things that every homeschooler knows to be true. I hope that if you are a homeschooler like me, you find this list to be funny, and perhaps even a little bit uncomfortably accurate. *maniacal laughs* Enjoy! :)
1.) Middle-of-the-day Errands
It is rather amusing how suspicious people become when you are at the store with your mom in the middle of the day. You will unfailingly get asked at least once every time, "Oh, is school out already?" Sometimes you decide to wait until the afternoon to run your errands, just to avoid the awkward "Oooohhhh, ok..." when they find out that you are homeschooled.
2.) The feeling of finishing your school early
There is nothing quite like finishing all of your school, looking at the clock, and realizing that it is only ten in the morning. That usually happens only on the days when you are really motivated to wake up on time and do all of your school in one sitting with no distractions. Be careful, though...if you do it too much, you may end up getting double work assigned!
3.) You never get snow days
Every homeschooler can relate to this one. (That is, if you live in a place that gets snow.) The neighbors are all outside playing in the snow, but since you don't have to go anywhere, it's just another normal day of school for you. There will be no playing outside until all of your work is done. Bummer.
4.) "Recess" was playing in the backyard so Mom could have quiet
This is the part where we give a shout-out to all of the homeschooling moms out there. Having all of your kids at home with you all day and giving them an education is not an easy task! It takes a lot to be able to do that! Oh, and just for the record, we LOVED our recess just as much as you did! ;)
5.) You always get your birthday off of school
You kind of grew up thinking of your birthday as a holiday for this reason. Who but a homeschooler gets to skip school on their birthday? I mean, it can't get better than that.. :D
6.) Anything could be a field trip
At some time or another, we have all had the mornings happen when Mom comes in the room and announces a field trip for the day instead of school. Whether it's hiking or a games, any opportunity to be off of school for the day was really exciting.
7.) Discussing different curriculum with your homeschooled friends
When you first meet another homeschooler, one of the first conversations you will have is about the curriculum that you use. While this probably sounds really strange, it's a very real thing that happens all the time. (ok yeah that's pretty strange...I'll admit it. :p)
8.) You can go on vacation at any time through the year
One of my favorite things about being homeschooled is the fact that we don't have to wait until summer to go on a family vacation! You can only hope that you don't have to bring school along for when you are in the car. There are always dangers when you can bring your school anywhere. :p
9.) You can do your school anywhere and everywhere
A lot of people think that all homeschoolers just sit around the dining room table all morning to do their school, but that is not always true. Especially once you get older, you can pretty much sit anywhere to work. Whether it is in the car on the way to co-op, on your bed, or on the couch, school can take place at any time and anywhere.
10.) You are pretty much never bored
Or at least, you never admit that you are bored. The thing about living at your school is that there is always extra work to do if you have nothing else to keep you occupied. This lesson is usually learned at a very young age, and by the time you are in high school, you have mastered the art of keeping yourself busy.
11.) Your book collection rivals the Library of Congress
There are at least four giant bookshelves in your house (with one specifically for the encyclopedias and dictionaries), and the collection is steadily growing. Each kid usually has their own personal stash of favorite books as well. Library trips are pretty infrequent, unless you are in a library research section in your English. (psstt...if there are any A Beka Book users out there you know exactly what I mean. Oh wait there I go talking about curriculum... sorryyyy :p)
12.) You never really thought of homeschooling as being weird
It strikes you as odd when others think that you are some strange species of human. It's what you do, and it's who you are. You are an awesome homeschooler. And you wouldn't have it any other way.
~Megan ♥
There's nothing quite like the large family life. Between the staring strangers, messes, laughing and chaos, there is always fun. And there is never a dull moment. If you have many siblings (or kids), I'm sure you can relate to what I'm about to say, but if you don't...well...here's a little peek into what it's like to live in a large family. Enjoy! :)
1.) It's noisy. All. The. Time.
Perhaps the dog is barking, somebody is either crying or laughing, or someone else is banging a spoon and a pot lid "making music." And finding a quiet place to study or read? Yeah...not happening.
2.) You don't really know how to cook in small quantities
After becoming so used to doubling (and sometimes even tripling) recipes, it really takes some serious calculating to make a small batch of anything. Just the thought of having to shop and cook for less than five people sounds like a challenge!
3.) When you play board games, you almost always have teams
Very few games have enough pieces for everyone to have their own, so it's either Apples to Apples, Monopoly, or everyone doubles up. There also may be a few games on the shelf with homemade pieces, because it really doesn't make a difference if you can just change up the rules a bit!
4.) The mountains of laundry
The laundry never ends. It's a constant cascade of dirty clothes coming from who-knows-where that somehow ends up clean at the end of the day. I really respect the people who had to wash all of their clothes in a river before washers and dryers came around! Those appliances are large family life-savers!
5.) The looks from strangers everywhere you go
You become used to the gaping mouths when the kids climbing out of that van just keep coming...and coming...and coming. And you are always prepared to answer when you are asked, "Are you all really siblings?" for the billionth time.
6.) Calling "dibs" on everything
Whether it's the front seat in the car, the next round of Mario Kart, or the last piece of cake, you better call dibs, or it may not be there in five minutes!
7.) Family photos are close to impossible
With a "let's all get in closer!" here and there, everyone will at least all be in the picture. Several pictures must be taken, however, because somebody isn't smiling, or somebody else blinked. You can only hope that there is at least one good one, but there are no guaranties.
8.) You constantly get mistaken for your younger siblings' parent
You pretty much have a default reaction of smiling nicely and nodding when people make comments to you and your younger siblings such as, "You have such cute kids!" and "Are you being good for Mommy?" All the while, you are trying your hardest not to laugh at how crazy it would be if you were actually their parent!
9.) You can focus in almost any environment
I think this should be considered a superpower. Sure, the vacuum is running and the kids are playing a noisy game of hide and seek, but you really have to study and focus, so somehow you have just learned to tune things like that out. Occasionally, quiet does become necessary, and the closet ends up being the only place to re-gain your sanity.
10.) Being on time (or even better, early!) is a huge accomplishment
"Don't worry! We won't be late." "Wait, where are my shoes?" "Oh, I forgot my coat." "We're missing someone!"
Sometimes, the best thing to do it plan to leave a long time before you actually have to, and you may end up leaving on time! Who knew coordinating so many people to go somewhere could be so difficult? :p
11.) Nothing "family sized" is truly family sized
Almost everything advertised as "family size" is usually bought in double or triple quantities. Buying in bulk is the only way to ensure that you will only need one of something, so the majority of the groceries are bought at Sam's Club!
12.) You wouldn't trade it for anything
No matter how many disagreements and squabbles you have, you all still love each other to death. You share years packed full of inside jokes, memories, and difficult times that were walked through together. Each of you have learned not only how to get along with a wide range of personalities, but also how to work on a team and accomplish things together. There is an incredible bond between you all that will be there for the rest of your lives. No matter what life throws at you, you can always find a huge web of support in your very own family.
I really love living in a large family. Yes, more often than not, it does seem like a tribe of monkeys, but the laughter and love that fills our home adds quite a bit of adventure and fun to life! I love each and every one of my crazy, noisy, but oh-so-awesome siblings! You guys rock! :) ♥
~Megan ♥
*picture via Google
As I sit here in my cozy nook with just a mug of coffee and an empty page in front of me, I realize how much I love afternoons like this. It is so quiet and peaceful that it seems even the clock is ticking delicately, as if it doesn't want to break the silence.
It's on these days that I find myself in deepest thought. I have been thinking a lot lately about all of the things I took for granted as a child...all of the made up games, all of the stories both written and told, all of the stuffed animals that I owned, every moment shared with the people I love the most. I want to hold my breath--to make time stop. I don't want to leave my childhood behind, but I can't help it. I don't want to let it go.
Why was I so eager to finally grow up?
I guess I never really thought about how much changes when you grow older...people change, circumstances change, feelings change, and interests change. (seriously, I really wish it wouldn't be weird at my age to spend hours playing with my dolls. :p)
When two of my older siblings got married, I realized how short our younger years really were. I miss all of the crazy games, afternoons spent trading our toys, and our "treasure hunts" through the back yard. But most of all, I miss having them home all the time. I miss having all of us crowded around the dining room table for dinner, or squeezed on the couch for family devotions. I miss all of the games of capture the flag in the back yard, all the afternoons spent raking leaves, or building a snowman.
And then I think about my younger siblings. What will they have to look back on when they are older? Will they have leaf jumping, snowman building, tea parties and afternoon bike rides? Will they have someone to look up to, someone to go to when they need a friend? I lose my patience with them far too often, but there are only so many more years left before I will be moving on as well. I don't want to waste them worrying about the stuffed animals on the bedroom floor, missing things, or broken belongings. I want to be the older sister that they need. I want to mean to them what my older sisters mean to me. Take time to appreciate your siblings, older and younger, and work hard to build solid relationships with them. You won't regret it!
I still have a lot of growing up to do, but my deepest regret is that I was never content with being a kid. I was so busy wishing for the next big thing that I failed to live in the season I was in. So to all of you who are wishing you were older, wishing you could grow up and move on with life: Slow down. Enjoy life. Make memories. You may have many years ahead of you, but you will never get these years back again. And trust me, they really do fly past.
~Megan ♥
Dear Dad,
Because yesterday was Father's Day, I am writing a letter to you to express my appreciation for you and all that you do. I want to speak directly to you from my heart, and also to anyone else who reads this.
I look up to you. I have learned so much from you, whether it was how something operates, how to deal with different situations, or even those tough Geometry problems that stress me out! Your guidance and direction has brought me through a lot.
Thank you for making me laugh! Whenever I am upset about something, or even when I'm not, you know how to make me laugh. I'm very grateful to you for making life even more fun and interesting!
I trust you. I may not always like your decisions or agree with them, but in the end, you are the one who knows best. In the future, I want your approval of whoever I may end up marrying, because I respect your judgement, and your opinion is important to me.
I admire you. Ever since I was really little, I have always viewed you as the coolest dad around! You love Jesus, and you are an awesome example of true manhood. I hope to someday marry a man like you.
I love you. You are so caring and kind, you love God and your family, and you work hard to provide for all of us. I don't say it often enough, but I love you more than words!
Thanks for all you do for us, Dad. You're the best! :)
~Megan ♥
Read my Mother's Day post HERE
Dear Mom,
Even though Mothers' Day was yesterday, I am writing this to you a day late in hopes that I may avoid the world of cliche' Mothers' Day posts. I also really want to speak straight from my heart to yours, so I am writing you about the things that myself and I'm sure many other girls my age want our mom to know.
Because you were my age once, I realize that you probably felt these things as well, so now that I am the one in this place, I thought it only appropriate that I should express them to you for myself.
I look up to you. Ever since I can remember, you have always been there to encourage me to become everything I am supposed to be. There are days when I feel like I am the one who really knows what is best, and I don't think that you understand what is really happening, but in the end, it is usually you who knew best after all. I have realized that some of the best advice and direction I have received is from my parents. There are still times when my pride gets the better of me and I want to do things my way, but I am very grateful for your gentle reminders and your wisdom in guiding me back to where I need to be.
I want to talk to you. I know I don't always view things rationally, and I tend to be very impulsive. It is much easier for me to stuff things inside and save them for later, when I could go to you and receive guidance and help. Sometimes it is hard for me to remember that you were my age at one time, and this makes it hard to talk to you about my problems, my dreams, even my quirky dramas. I really do want to be able to go to you and get advice, but most of all I usually just want a listening ear, because just talking about it makes everything seem that much better. Thank you for being patient with me through all of my crazy emotions. You truly have put up with a lot already.
I enjoy spending time with you. There has always been something fun about just hanging out with you, even if it involves doing absolutely nothing. Some of my favorite memories have been the times when we were giggling about random, silly things. I can have fun with you, be weird with you, laugh with you, and even have crazy girl talks with you. Thank you for all of the fun memories we have together. I am looking forward to making even more in the future!
I learn a lot from you. From learning my ABCs to cleaning, organizing, cooking, and those tough Algebra equations, you and Dad are my #1 teachers. Even though you have a lot of kids, each one of us has learned so many things from you and Dad. Every day I get excited about having kids of my own so I can be an awesome and fun mom like you.
I really love you. A lot. You were there for my first breath, my first word, my first steps, and my best and worst moments. I don't say it enough, and I may not always show it, but I really do admire you, respect you, and look up to you. I know you aren't perfect, (even though it is sometimes hard not to expect you to be) but you are the best mom I could ever ask for, and I thank God daily for your presence in my life. I love you more than words.
Thank you for all you do for us, Mom. You're the best.
~Megan ♥
