So often in life, we get busy, especially if we’re homeschooling our children and working out of our home. Parents who send their children off to school or work outside the home can more easily compartmentalize different aspects of their lives. School is over when the kids get home, save for a little (or a lot) of homework. Work is over when you leave the office. Home time is family time.
Freelancers and homeschooling parents have a more difficult time delineating between different roles. I know I do. When is it time to turn the teacher off and just be a parent? Does everything need to be a learning opportunity? How do I carve out time to write? Am I thinking of my next blog post, or am I giving my children my full attention?
Don’t get me wrong. There many, many benefits to homeschooling and working from home. But fitting everything in is one of the downsides of the job.
That’s why it’s important to make time to really focus on each child, so they don’t get lost in the busyness of life. I was reminded of this the other day, when my son came up to me while I was working, board game in hand. “Can we please play, Mom? Plllleeeeeeaaaaase!”
It was tempting to say no. I had so much to do. But what is the point of being a parent, if you’re not going to spend time with your children just having fun? I put my work aside and said yes.
That day we played Mastermind. The next two days we played Pictureka. And last night we played Sorry. In the midst of our play we talked. We laughed. We appreciated each other as mother and son. I wasn’t his teacher. He wasn’t my student. We just were.
The funny thing is, I was much more productive after spending some time just enjoying my son. Work was less dreary. It had a purpose: supporting my family…family that I love. Homeschooling was easier. I gained insight into my son.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that God’s math is not my math. Though I may look at 24 hours in the day and think there isn’t time to just enjoy my family, He works it out so that enjoying my family makes me able to get more done in less time.
Don’t neglect your family, folks. Slow down. Get to know your kids. Enjoy them.
Lynnae,
I absolutely love this post. It’s something I think all of us home school moms go through. It is really tough to schedule everything in, and when my girls ask can we do this or that, it is really tempting to always say no I can’t, I don’t have time…
But, I have to remember that we only have them for a short while then they are adults like us…and I don’t want to set a bad example for them!
YEAH! Love this post. I struggle giving everything just a portion of my attention. I work, and the kids are constantly next to me asking for my attention. OR I can give them all my attention for the first part of the day, then get way more done during “mommies working hours” int he afternoon. I know that this works best for us, but I struggle with sticking to it. Thanks for the reminder!
I think this works for all of us, moms, grandmas, aunts, siblings… There is something to be found here about just family time. Glad to be reading your postings again!
Nice to *see* you again, Marci!
YES! Love it! Especially when God’s math helps us along