Put your big girl panties on and deal with it!

If you read this post, you know that I've been thinking about breaking down my own barriers and becoming the best Mother, Wife, Homemaker and Educator I can be.

I've been thinking about the fact that the only thing holding me back from being the best is me and my habits.

I had a long 'chat' with a fellow Home-educating Momma the other day.  We like to call them 'faculty meetings'.  

She asked me how things were going.  She asked about school.

I admitted that we hadn't been 'doing school'.  

I said "I'm trying to get a handle on things. Life has been so stressful."

I went on to talk about our other issues in life ... mostly related to money.  One thing after another.  That would be a different post all together, but I have no interest in hosting a pity party.  It wasn't the point.

I laid out my excuses:

I have to get up earlier.
My new house is laid out differently.
Everything used to be right by the kitchen table; now, it's spread out.
I'm not organized.
There's no a/c in the 'learning room'.
I don't have any plans. 
I don't know what to teach.  
I don't know what I'm going to do this year.
I needed money and sold curriculum I wish I hadn't.

She said that sometimes it helps to "school those troubles away".  She likes to say that sometimes you have to "put on your big girl panties and just do it."


She got me thinking (and I'm grateful).


As I said in the last post, it's all about ME and MY habits.  

My own habits are holding me back.


I've fallen asleep in the snow. 


She also made me realize that educating my children is the one thing I do have control of.  While everything else in my life seems to be spinning out of control, I can control that one thing.


And, it would make me feel better if I would.  It is a vicious circle ~ feeling lost and out of control so that you can't figure out how to 'do school', then feeling guilty because you aren't doing what you 'should' be doing, only making things feel even more out of control.


I cannot control my husband's paychecks. 
I cannot control the bills or the problems.
I cannot control my graying hair.
I cannot control my emotional daughter.
I cannot control all these animals.
I cannot control the sibling bickering (though I try).
I cannot control the rising cost of food or gas or soap.
I cannot control the fact that I do not have health insurance.


What I can control is me.


I can control what time I get up in the morning.
I can control whether or not I read aloud to my children.
I can control whether or not I bake with my children.
I can control whether or not I teach my daughter to read.
I can control whether or not I teach my children math.
I can control whether or not I paint with my children.
I can control whether or not we listen to composers and look at art.
I can control whether or not we study nature.


School your troubles away.  When you are busy educating, you are immersed.  The other problems float away, if only for a while. 


Routine can be hard to jump back into after a laid back summer.


But, it is worth it.


There is no better feeling that the way a Home-educating Momma feels at the end of a good, positive and productive "school day".


Just Do It (in the words of Nike).


You will feel better if you do.  More in control.

So, I am starting small.  One foot in front of the other.

I spent the past few days figuring out the "what" ... what I want to cover this year.
I planned the "how" ... how I want to cover it.
I planned the "when" ... the general routine or schedule or rhythm we should follow.


I will spend this coming week getting organized, physically.  Yes, we have a busy week of errands and Theater Troupe and Handwork and a field trip and another dentist appointment, but during our home time I must get our space organized so that we can progress.


Then, we will start our lessons the following week.  We have a field trip Monday the 3rd of October, but we can get going on the 4th.  That's the beauty of home-educating ~ flexibility of schedule.


I came up with a basic yearly schedule I'd like to follow.  It allows for flexibility and freedom, but provides enough structure to keep me in line.  I'm slowly learning that Momma needs structure.  I need to treat my job as a job.  I need to get up and go to work, even when I don't feel like it.  It is my J.O.B. to educate these children and love them and keep this home and it must get done.  Whether I feel like it or not.  I mean, my husband goes to work even when he doesn't feel like it, right?  Who do I think I am?  My job is important and must be done.


I know that I love to read on other Momma's blogs about their schedules and how they fit it all in, so I will certainly share here what I've been working on.  If I can help another Momma to do what God has led her to do, I will be one happy lady. 


Time to put on the Big Girl Panties!