To slow down and just BE!

Today, I took the child to work with me at the homeschool office for awhile. In between work items, I oversaw the child completing over thirty some odd experiments in probability with dice, coins, and then a bag of M&Ms. He then changed all the ratios to decimals and percentages as well. He had most of the yearly educational assessment conducted this afternoon.

On the way home, we made a short stop the library and went on to his Scout award ceremony. While in the car in transit...we discussed what we needed to finish up academically related this week. We discussed if we were going to read any tonight from the social studies text. He politely told me, "No!" 

I knew he was serious and that was more than fine with me, as it had been a long day anyway, but I proceeded to question his remark anyway. He said he had done enough homeschool work for the day with the added part of the assessments and it was okay, because it would all still be there tomorrow.

I remarked how last year he would beg me to stay up with him sometimes until 1 or even 3 am in the morning while I helped him finish homework. We discussed how he was so afraid of what might happen if he did not finish all of his homework. He reminded me he had to finish so he could play at recess or be allowed to eat lunch.

In fourth grade, he was not allowed to play at recess or had to stay inside and finish classwork. He was not allowed to eat lunch or finish lunch a few times, because he had to work through lunch time. The fear of this stuck with him and thus, played into the mindset of having to get everything finished. I cannot begin to explain the havoc this played on sleep cycles in this house or on our ability to act civil to others or each other at times.

Though he was allowed to eat lunch in 6th grade and go outside with others, we still had many hours of homework each night at times. (The teachers, for the most part, and the administration of the school in his 6th grade year did really try to work to accommodate his needs.) And, now half way through our first homeschooling year and as we are wrapping up his 7th grade year of instruction and getting ready to start 8th grade, he is relaxed enough to relax.

Wow! Wow! Wow! And, thank you, Jesus!  This year, today...I have witnessed: 1) My child is relaxed more and less anxious; 2) My child is more self-confident; 3) My child feels it is okay to slow down some and just BE!

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