You know, some days homeschooling is not all it is cracked up to be.
Some days it is really no fun at all.
Sometimes your child does not love to learn. Sometimes, in fact, she is determined not to.
Like today.
Today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day*.
The girl wouldn't get dressed. Then she wouldn't eat breakfast. Then she wouldn't turn the telly off. What was it doing on in the first place? That's what I wanted to know.
She wouldn't put the iPad - my iPad - down to listen to her read aloud and then she couldn't narrate it when I'd finished. She wouldn't do her own reading and when she did she couldn't narrate that either. I was seriously beginning to wonder what the point of it all was. And whether I could book her into school. She refused to do any French. She pulled her recorder apart. Her copywork looked like a drunken spider dipped in ink. She answered back and refused to respond. If looks could kill...
Even lunch didn't help.
We were having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
When she was still doing her Maths sheet an hour after she'd started, I...well...I lost it. I would not be surprised if you could here me from there... could you?
Anyhow, then she cried. And I felt really, really small.
Finally we did what we should have done hours ago. We grabbed our cameras and headed out for a really long walk.
At first it was rather brisk. And rather silent. Then suddenly it wasn't. Suddenly it was really nice. And we smiled. At each other.
Some days are like that.
Even in Australia.
And there wasn't even kissing on TV.
*Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. The post makes more sense if you've read the book.
Good job saving the day! You know, sometimes we all just have those days, don't ya think? I do. I'm having one today. It's almost 9:00 a.m. and I planned on being at our farm extracting honey by 8:00. I haven't even showered yet! AUGH!
ReplyDeleteNot long ago I got a text. It was on my Sister's phone and it said something like...Cindy, text me, it's Taylor. (her daughter) So we chatted, then suddenly...from her end...nothing. I asked what happened. I got a text back..."This is Theresa. Taylor is supposed to be doing her homework right now, not texting you. She will talk to you later!" Whoops!
Cindy Bee
I hope your day improved too, Cindy Bee. Hugs from me.
ReplyDeletelol Jeanne, you make me laugh. [ I loved the book BTW!] You have destroyed the fond picture I had of you & jemimah cosily snuggled up reading to each other where even math is never too much trouble. This sounds much more like Star & my Flea Circus ~ only Star doesn't cry any more. She gives death stares & attitude because she's a teenager & teenagers get to do that. I have noticed a marked improvement since I have not been around so much. I am much more appreciated these days! lol
ReplyDeleteYou are one smart mama! We've had those days, oh yes. I'm constantly amazed at how those days are solved by going outside. Sometimes I have to tell the kids (and myself) that we'll just walk to the corner of the block and back. We live on the corner of the block, so that is easy enough to do! Without fail, once we get outside, we want to stay outside longer....and our mood lifts. Amazing power of the outdoors! (Charlotte urges outside for many reasons, and this is one of them). Good job, Jeanne!
ReplyDeleteNever in my fourteen years of homeschooling have I ever had a day like that! (Oooh, look! I can see the end of my nose getting further away...!)
ReplyDeletePam
So all she got in her cereal box was cereal, right? lol.. We loved that book! Just don't make her buy plain white sneakers--she'll never wear them, not as cool as those Nick and Anthony got with stripes!!!
ReplyDeleteOhhh.... love the walk with you two!
ReplyDeleteWe know those days LOL!
Great, oh-so-true-to-life post! Jemimah looks wonderfully unscathed!
ReplyDeleteHope today is much better. We are on hols at present!
YES, guilty also! Actually had a bad moment a few days ago and right at that exact moment I had friends knock at the door for a visit, my that was embarrassing!!! Lovely pictures Jeanne, love you guys! xxx
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys saved it...
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I had a day like that (personally - not the kids....) - I'm just glad that we are on a short vacation from school because with ME in the mood I've been in... it wouldn't be pretty.
Lucky it's the end of term, huh? Yay! We're happy about that here too ;) Lol.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs for you - I totally know those days.
And i LOVE that first photo btw :)
Alas, Amber, we're only at week 7 of our 12 week term. No rest for the wicked, as they say. You'll be pleased to know that today went beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThe first photo was taken by my clever daughter. Didn't she do well? I love it too.
*like*
ReplyDeletethats all. :)
Well I am glad you had that kind of day because the photos may not be here if you didn't.
ReplyDeleteThank You Jeanne.
ReplyDeleteIt's so very important that we share the good AND the not so good days. There is a time for everything. Sometimes you need to put it all away, breathe in crisp fresh air and build memories.
Just Beautiful!
I remember someone telling me on Facebook after a day like this that it would be alright. That I should let her leave her maths and do something similar. Glad to see that we aren't the only ones. Oh , and that you take your own advice too. lol (((hugs)))
ReplyDeleteI found this today (looking for a post about spiders of all things). Thank you for sharing the not so nice days as well as the lovely 'peaceful' ones. I am encouraged by the way you approach things and by your reviews and your advice on MEP but maybe more than anything, this posts encouraged me to keep going even though some days it isn't any 'fun'. Perhaps 'fun' isn't what we signed up for after all...
ReplyDeleteThank you