Or: “What My Kids Taught Me...”

There were times when I didn’t think I’d get through it; the time I slid on the cut and paste project and nearly went through the toy room window; the monotonous fart jokes and proclamations of the work being “too hard” or “I don’t know how to spell ‘so’,” or my favourite home schooling experience of all - when I found myself crawling under the bed to retrieve the tantrum throwing child who had managed to wedge himself between an old television box and the leg of the bed head, kicking and screaming and covered in under bed fluff as I dragged him out by the ankles. Then there were those ‘Eureka’ moments when I finally got through to my kids with my less than perfect teaching styles – “Son, this is how you work out how many pieces of fruit Johnny got for $10!”

It has been a long haul, and I can’t believe we got there without killing each other! I reflect this week on what my kids have taught me over the past six weeks.

• PVA glue and varnished surfaces do not mix.
• Yes, you can over-sharpen a pencil.
• Late nights followed by 9am school start times are not favourable.
• My children suffer with a condition that physically immobilises them when asked to pack up their work area at home.
• It’s very difficult to separate a child from distractions when that distraction is himself.

I could bang on about broken crayons embedded into the carpet, scribbles on work sheets, frustrated that my husband had the home schooling down pat in comparison to me or having a ‘Mummy moment’ five minutes into the day’s lesson but instead I’m going out on a positive.

As much as they’ve driven me far too many times – 

• I now have a broader understanding of what my kids are learning at school and am impressed by their level of knowledge and ability to grasp information.
• I’m proud of their capability to adapt to change.
• I have noticed that both of my kids are more like me than I realised!
• Whilst they still fought during home schooling, they have become more resilient and shown that they can resolve conflicts a lot quicker than previously.
• Nothing pleases them more than seeing their own work completed to a level that they’re proud of, knowing that they produced it all by themselves.

In terms of phasing back into a new normal, the changes I’d like us to keep are –

• Enjoying all meal times together wherever possible.
• Less wasting food.
• Allowing the kids to be more independent and allowing them to resolve their own conflict and make their own mistakes and learn from them (I confess, I try to take far too much unnecessary control as an overprotective mother)

And on the weekend, they taught me how to mono the bike whilst still pedalling. Sure, it was a skill that I will no doubt implement into many experiences for the rest of my life such as trying not to wear out the front tyre on my bike before its time or attempting to one-up my friend from primary school who used to show off doing hand stands in front of me when I couldn’t do them.

All in all, home schooling has been one of the most valuable lessons I have learned. As much as many parents across our great community will rejoice this week as we wave our kids through the school gate. I’m sure we will miss not having to do lunchboxes, hair, and searching for that one bloody school shoe that only goes missing when you’re running late!

Relieved my kids are now back at school, and content that I feel like I know them better than I ever did before...