maggiemay51

Today was a good day! It’s 4:00 PM, and I just returned home from my home schooling co-op group! Every other day we sleep until 10 or 11 AM and life can be kind of crazy. Why you ask? Simply put-because I am one of the chosen few who home schools her child. So why is this a challenge you may ask?

Today as I looked around the class rooms filled with teachers who volunteered their precious time, and children of various ages-I realized that I stood out like a sore thumb. I am one of those rare breeds in the home schooling community. I am a single home schooling mom who is a dying breed.

Two years ago I yanked my then 7 year old son out of a C rated school. With a fierce determination, I decided I was going to be his school teacher! As we packed his school gear, we waved good-bye to all of his buddies and hugs were exchanged with streaming tears that stained noses and cheeks.

With that profound decision, came many welcome changes! The most obvious was that we didn’t have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning! Wow! For my son and I both being night owls, this was a welcome treat!! We could relax in the mornings and start our day with a slower pace! As I sipped on a cup of coffee, we could take our time through out the day!

However…this also meant that I had a lot more on my plate. And my plate was quite full! As a single mom I had many roles to begin with! I was mom, dad, financial wizard, master chef, gardener, psychiatrist, spiritual guide,nurse, and baby sitter. Now -on top of all that , I was his teacher! Yikes! What was I getting myself into!

The truth is-I didn’t have a clue! First off, I had a limited income. So this meant that I had to think creatively when it came to cutting corners. Then , I had to make sure I had time to myself-even if it meant locking myself in the bathroom for 30 minuted reading a book!

There were days when I wanted to lock myself in the bathroom for more than 30 minutes! There were other days when I wished I could escape to a remote island by myself for an entire week!!! Then-there were those days that no one could put into words, not even me-the writer her self.

Those were the days that gently reminded me of why I chose to school my child, Those were the days that spoke for themselves! Mother nature sprayed a mist over the mountains just for us to see . Or she would send us on a walk up the hollar with spectacular views of her never ending beauty! These were times that I would take in a deep sigh-secretly thanking her for all her splendid gifts. And while I had many crazy days-there were all those gentle reminders-provided by mother nature herself!

As I took in these moments-time stood still, even if only for a brief moment. How fortunate was I to have these timeless moments with my little man. What a bargain it was-to be his teacher.

It is 2 years later and I am still on that timeless journey! While I do have those brief timeless moments-I must say that sadly…time is moving on. My son is growing leaps and bounds and I am taking in each moment with respectful gratitude.

For we all know how quickly a small tree grows into a towering Oak, His legs get longer, and his feet keep growing. I keep teaching-and we both keep learning… one moment-one day at a time!

Welcome to my World~

Just a single mom’s journey in home schooling!

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