frustrated

[lgliser]

So.... we haven't even started homeschooling yet. But today one of my girls was putting a little book together just for fun and she asked me how to spell a few words (she's 6) and I did and I also told her that her B was backwards. I told her nicely and all, no biggie! But oh how she huffed! "I can't do anything right!" She wanted to just quit her book.

 

I KNOW that this is going to happen.... but it just really scared me! The kids are in public school kindergarten for now and I know they don't throw their pencils down with their teacher. Is this just what I'm in for or what? I mean, I know there will be great days and that there will be frustrating days..... will we get in a good groove? Any suggestions?

[Hedgehogs4]

You will never stop being Mom. You will have plenty of days like this. Don't let it scare you. Decide now how you will handle days like this. Will you get angry and huff back or will you respond with a gentle touch and loving guidance and help her along the way? Most of home schooling is learning how not to react but how to respond in ways that are useful.

 

You will get in a groove, don't worry. Most likely this will be the toughest job you've ever had, and the one you love more than anything. No suggestions...just live it and love it. Grow together. It'll be okay.

[lgliser]

Thanks :)

I'm sorry to say that I sort of huffed back :( I need to work on my patience for SURE.

[NASDAQ]

You'll get into a groove. Don't worry.

 

In the mean time, probably best not to slip in instruction to non-instructional moments. That was something that I couldn't do at fist. The whole thing was just too stressful for daughter and me. Now I know how to do it without stressing her out (mine is an anxious one).

[freeindeed]

There will be hard days, but there will also be days that are absolutely glorious-yes, really. :)

 

[Clear Creek]

I only correct school assignments. For anything they do on their own I praise their effort and creativity and leave it at that.

[Tanikit]

Sounds like you have a 6 year old. Some days my DD wakes up calling me teacher and those days go best of all with our homeschooling (and she's never even been in a proper school) Other days she will fight me on everything and just generally throw a fit. Basically I see teaching my child how to deal with her emotions in a responsible way is part of homeschooling and that sometimes it is more important than whether the maths worksheet gets done or not. I just wish I knew how to handle every fit and disappointment and feeling - sometimes my DD needs just some food to make her feel better, sometimes she needs a cuddle, some she needs to be told that that is not ok and she better pull herself together. Its all part of parenting and homeschooling is really an extension of parenthood - you are still the mother and they are still your children, so whereas they may pull themselves together and cry less when they bump their knee at school, when they do it at home or fall off their chair during math then they'll cry more than they would at school - but you'll be there to give them the cuddle they wouldn't have got at school and that has to count for something :)

 

You'll be fine - you'll have bad days and good days and eventually your children will understand what is expected of them same as they would at a school. Its up to you to decide what you expect - while still allowing yourself to be their mother even during school time.

[Tracy]

Yes, this happens more with mom than with a school teacher for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, kids are more invested in you than they are in teacher. They may not care what the teacher thinks, but they care a great deal what you think of them. Second, they have ways of dealing with things at home that are different than how they deal with things at school. Some of that is a function of how we have taught them (or not) how to deal with things, and some of that is just that the school must necessarily approach these things differently than you do at home.

 

I know it is scary. But this is a wonderful opportunity to teach your dd more important things than spelling and handwriting. You are going to be working on things like interpersonal skills, coping with anxiety, perfectionism, etc., and family values. It will take some time for you to get in the habit of making a mental note of the backwards B to work on later during handwriting instruction and instead praising her for what she did well during her free time. That is part of the journey.

[MerryAtHope]

I only correct school assignments. For anything they do on their own I praise their effort and creativity and leave it at that.

 

I've found this is best here too.