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October 12, 2006
Comparisons
The moment a homeschooler admits to doing productive work, the rest of us compare ourselves to that family. It's automatic.
We did have a pretty darned productive nine weeks. This productivity is the result of us finding a really good groove for schooling. And the good groove is the result of years of figuring out what works for us.
Plus, I'm, er, very goal-oriented.
What have we done now that we've finished this productive nine weeks? We've taken a break. That's hard for me to do, when we are in the groove. I want to keep going, keep checking off lesson numbers in my planner, keep crossing items off lists. There's more to life, and education, than that, though, and so I make myself put the planner down and walk away.
I appreciate the kind comments, but for all of you who look at my list and think you didn't do much, think again. You just did different things. You probably did many things that would send me into fits of homeschooling envy. And Dy? Sheesh! You renovated a house while pregnant and caring for three young children! That would not have happened in my world. Ever.
Comparisons are fine, as long as we take the right lesson from them: We can't do everything, but we can choose what we are going to do, and do it. That which we don't choose might look nice in someone else's lawn, but would probably choke out the flowers over on this side of the fence. Or whatever metaphor you can mangle after midnight. (I go out mangling ... after midnight ... out in the moonlight ...)
Posted by lynx at October 12, 2006 11:13 PM
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Comments
Comparisons are fine, as long as we take the right lesson from them: We can't do everything, but we can choose what we are going to do, and do it.
That's the rub with everything, isn't it? I admire your 9 weeks of work. We have not done all I have wanted to do so far in this school year. I have to remind myself, however, that the bigger picture is still ok. Life here has been rather unsettled, and that has really influenced my teaching. I'm sure you've had times like that as well!
Now that life has given me some deadlines (like all furniture will be packed out the 1st of February for our move) I can regroup, replan and fly with that.
Posted by: Anne at October 13, 2006 4:10 PM
Anne,
It's October. You're moving in February, and you already have a timetable in place? I am in awe!
Posted by: Stephanie at October 13, 2006 10:30 PM
It's the Navy. Everything requires lots of paperwork, and so it also requires lots of *time*. The trouble is, once set, it's set in stone. When we moved from FL to TN, our oldest had a wicked case of strep. We couldn't reschedule though, so we just managed the best we could :)
I think one reason I have felt comparisions so keenly this year is that this whole move situation has left me feeling unsettled. And I don't function well under extreme un-settled ness.But it is getting better. Now maybe we can get back to the fun stuff (Chinese writing and paper maiche spiders this week!)
Posted by: Anne at October 14, 2006 8:16 PM
Oh dear, I'm sorry. I'm quite capable of being rather self-effacing and not actually taking it to heart. (There's a lot I can do, and there's a lot I canont do. I'm pretty much okay with the whole package.) I meant it with a smile, and, I suppose, as a way of saying, "Wow, you absostinkinglutely ROCK". I should've said it that way. My intention was not to make you feel uncomfortable, or to make you feel that I felt bad. Sorry if I've gone and done that.
Dy
Posted by: Dy at October 15, 2006 8:38 PM
Oh, Dy, you did no such thing. No worries. I understand, I do the same thing with the self-effacing comments or flip comments that are really just a style, and not what I *mean.* I just wanted to make sure you really didn't think you suck ;-) It *is* so easy to look at someone else's accomplishments and forget that you did stuff too. Or, that you wouldn't want to do that stuff anyway.
Posted by: Stephanie at October 15, 2006 9:29 PM
Well, in the interest of honesty, I *do* suck at some things, like having clean pants for Zorak on Monday morning, getting started on my day before eight, stuff like that. (You know, things I don't want to do, anyway.) But I don't suck in general. Or, at least I don't think I do. But yes, yes! A style. That's an excellent way to put it.
And there are just some people (online and IRL) who I, personally, feel so comfortable with that I forget style doesn't always come across. You're one of those people. When I read here, or comment, or email, I talk pretty much the way I would if we were visiting on my scary porch while the kids ran amok down by the creek. So, unless you say, "Wow, that Dy is a real jackass," I won't take it personally. And if you do say that, I will probably have earned it. ;-)
Really, you have handled all the change, upheaval, and newness so very well. Sometimes, while reading your blog, I forget that you've hauled your family clear across country while everyone was sick and you lived in limbo land for a while in the not-so-distant past. It's encouraging to see how you've found your groove and kept your family together (bet Jeff appreciates it, too!)
Posted by: Dy at October 16, 2006 9:15 AM