Seton Magazine Catholic Homeschool Articles, Advice & Resources
I am not a professional homeschooling mother. I do not get paid to teach my children.
However, summer and the end of the traditional school year is here and I wonder what my end-of-year progress report would be if I were part of a professional corporation or business.
As a homeschooling mother, I start asking myself the tough questions and critiquing my homeschooling performance:
- Did we get all our subjects done? No.
- Can the seven-year-old read? Kind of.
- Did our “system” work this year? Sometimes.
- Did I keep to a schedule? No (keeping back the tears).
- Does “wishing” to keep a schedule count? Okay, yes! I wished every day to keep a schedule.
- Did I intend to get through more work? Yes!
- Did I plan to finish more than 3 subjects a day? Yes!
Okay, the reality is that I maybe did half of what I set out to accomplish this past school year. We didn’t finish our math books. I never organized my “science center” or kept proper records. One day the kids organized their candy stash and held a family candy auction complete with bargaining and ruthless dealings and I called this “math class.” Another day we discussed why we like the brunette Emma movie better than the blond Emma movie, and I called this “literature class.”
I failed to be a disciplined time manager, and I’m in serious need of a professional organizer who specializes in homeschool classrooms for 10 kids in a 12×14 foot space. This specialist would need to have experience in Emergency Disaster Relief, and two-year-olds, and have a good sense of humor too!
Seriously though, I am not a professional homeschooling mother. No one is paying me!
Even so, my overall progress report is not horrible. Even with all my many unprofessional shortcomings, our family is happy and healthy. On many occasions, we are told our children are good and holy examples, and the siblings obviously love and help each other. My adult children are making responsible and mature choices and ask God for help in their chosen vocations. Our family puts God first in all things. Our marriage is strong, loving, and mutually supportive.
What else do I need? More prayer. My prayer life is not perfect. This is where I need loads of improvement. This is where I need encouragement. This is the critique that comes before all other critiques.
- Did I pray every day, morning, noon, and night?
- Did I make time for spiritual reading?
- Did I push to get the family to daily Mass?
- Did I make a weekly holy hour and confession?
- Did I strive to work on my relationship with God?
These are the questions that should be on my Homeschooling Mother Daily/End-of-Year Progress Report. After all, I am not a professional homeschooling mother. I am simply a Child of God.
And God’s loving embrace is the best paycheck of all.
About Susan Miranda
Susan and her husband Carl live in the Shenandoah Valley of VA. They both come from pioneering homeschooling families and are homeschooling their own 13 children.
