I shared with you back in the spring about what was hands down our absolute worst homeschool day in the history of ever.
That was a hard day. There are lots of hard days. I wish I could say it was sunshine and rainbows all the time.
But it’s not.
Homeschooling is a very beautiful thing when viewed in hindsight or from a distance. But often, while you’re in the middle of it, it’s a very messy thing.
The hardest thing we’ve hit so far is that BigG has pretty much up to this point had such an easy time learning everything that he doesn’t know how to handle when something doesn’t click right away. And it’s very frustrating and upsetting to him. We’ve gone through a slew of emotional issues in the last few years. That’s another post of another day. But just suffice it to say that handling frustration calmly is something we must work on. Most of the time he KNOWS the answer or solution but he gets so frustrated that he has to think for a moment about it that he becomes totally incapable of thinking. WHEW. Just writing that exhausted me.
Flash forward to week 2 of basic multiplication and division (2s and 3s times tables). I decided today we will just talk through the problems over lunch (he can’t have too much of a meltdown if he’s eating, right?)
So I was giving example after example about how if 4×3=12 then 12 divided by 3 equals 4 and he says, “Wow, I get it. It’s starting to make sense.” It was wonderful. It was one of those beautiful moments that looking back will outshine the mess.
Then when we were done eating and discussing math he hugged me and said, “Thanks for teaching me!”
Oh my heart! Don’t we all long for those words? “Thanks for teaching me, Mom!”
Thanks, Mom!
Sometimes the thank yous are few and far between.
Even if we raise our children with good manners to say please and thank you, how many of us expect to hear “thanks for teaching me?” Sure, “Thanks for taking me to the movies, Mom!” “Thanks for washing my smelly soccer uniform.” “Thanks for making my favorite dinner!”
Thanks for teaching me, Mom.
In that moment, it wasn’t that he was glad I was teaching him multiplication and division. He was glad that I was there. That I was his teacher. That I was his safe place when he was frustrated and that I was there for the “light bulb” moment.
So let me tell you something, Moms out there. Thank you for teaching your kids.
It may be a LONG time before they say those words.
They may never say the words.
They may thank you in deed or action one day.
But no matter if, when, or how long it takes for you to your “Thanks for teaching me, Mom!” just know that you are appreciated.
YOU are teaching your children.
And you should be applauded.
