You're probably wondering where my usual Friday-or-Saturday school week recap is. The answer is simple: we didn't do any preschool* last week. We're skipping most of this week, too. Why? Because I had other things to do. Because I'm tired. Because we hit a patch of life in which specific and immediate discipline for repeated infractions was more important than phonetics.
I've been thinking a lot about our little preschool, though, particularly with regard to this blog. I post about our activities for a few reasons: because I want to remember these days and blogging is easier than scrapbooking, because I enjoy searching for fun activities to do and want to share my resources, because it's an easy way for my husband and my parents to see what goes on in our daily lives.
But it occurs to me, every time I hit "publish," that by making our weekly happenings public, there's always a chance I'm making some other mom of littles feel less-than, if she hasn't done as much as I've done. We all know how Facebook and blogs are ruining our self-esteem, creating this completely false belief that everyone else is happier/more organized/cleaner/healthier/whatever than we are. I worry, often, that this record of my schooling contributes in some way to that deception.
The truth is, I love doing preschool at home. I had no idea, before we started all of this, that I would get so much enjoyment out of choosing and implementing activities. I'm fascinated by which projects are a great success and which totally flop. I'm excited by how much they pick up, and for the meantime, even pleased at how I'm (slowly and sometimes painfully) learning when to push forward and when to let go. This part of life, right now, does not feel like a burden at all.
But I have said it before, and I will say it 100 more times and more, that every action I do as a homemaker is a choice. I can see cobwebs from where I sit, cobwebs that I've known about for months and haven't yet dealt with. There's a load of laundry (just towels, thankfully) that's been in the dryer all day. I've been working on changing the boys' clothes over to winter for weeks, but still there are piles of outgrown summer outfits littering their dressers. This week I spot-cleaned the kitchen floor because getting out the mop seemed like too big of a job.
I'm not trying to make myself out to be a giant success OR a giant failure. Yes, we do lots of school activities. It's way more fun than other aspects of housekeeping for me. Sometimes I wonder if, had I a gaggle of girls instead of my litter of puppies, I would worry more about being a good example of homemaking. For the moment, I have two boys who are totally in love with having a letter theme of the week, and one boy who delights in nothing more than carrying objects from place to place. So I'm going with it: seeking out the perfect activities for the two older ones, and quieting my frustration when I find my measuring cups in the bathroom drawers or board books in the tupperware cupboard.
I suppose this is really a plea for understanding. Don't think I'm more than I am. Please, please don't read this blog and feel you're not doing enough. Chances are very, very high that your kitchen is clean or your husband's shirts are ironed or you managed to take your children to the grocery store without forgetting your wallet -- all things I haven't done in recent weeks. :)
*"Preschool" refers to the letter-of-the-week themes I blog about. I try to stay consistent with Levi's math, spelling, handwriting, and piano practice, even when the other stuff doesn't get done.
Sticking letter magnets on the borrowed canning pot while I peeled apples.
I've been thinking a lot about our little preschool, though, particularly with regard to this blog. I post about our activities for a few reasons: because I want to remember these days and blogging is easier than scrapbooking, because I enjoy searching for fun activities to do and want to share my resources, because it's an easy way for my husband and my parents to see what goes on in our daily lives.
But it occurs to me, every time I hit "publish," that by making our weekly happenings public, there's always a chance I'm making some other mom of littles feel less-than, if she hasn't done as much as I've done. We all know how Facebook and blogs are ruining our self-esteem, creating this completely false belief that everyone else is happier/more organized/cleaner/healthier/whatever than we are. I worry, often, that this record of my schooling contributes in some way to that deception.
The truth is, I love doing preschool at home. I had no idea, before we started all of this, that I would get so much enjoyment out of choosing and implementing activities. I'm fascinated by which projects are a great success and which totally flop. I'm excited by how much they pick up, and for the meantime, even pleased at how I'm (slowly and sometimes painfully) learning when to push forward and when to let go. This part of life, right now, does not feel like a burden at all.
But I have said it before, and I will say it 100 more times and more, that every action I do as a homemaker is a choice. I can see cobwebs from where I sit, cobwebs that I've known about for months and haven't yet dealt with. There's a load of laundry (just towels, thankfully) that's been in the dryer all day. I've been working on changing the boys' clothes over to winter for weeks, but still there are piles of outgrown summer outfits littering their dressers. This week I spot-cleaned the kitchen floor because getting out the mop seemed like too big of a job.
I'm not trying to make myself out to be a giant success OR a giant failure. Yes, we do lots of school activities. It's way more fun than other aspects of housekeeping for me. Sometimes I wonder if, had I a gaggle of girls instead of my litter of puppies, I would worry more about being a good example of homemaking. For the moment, I have two boys who are totally in love with having a letter theme of the week, and one boy who delights in nothing more than carrying objects from place to place. So I'm going with it: seeking out the perfect activities for the two older ones, and quieting my frustration when I find my measuring cups in the bathroom drawers or board books in the tupperware cupboard.
I suppose this is really a plea for understanding. Don't think I'm more than I am. Please, please don't read this blog and feel you're not doing enough. Chances are very, very high that your kitchen is clean or your husband's shirts are ironed or you managed to take your children to the grocery store without forgetting your wallet -- all things I haven't done in recent weeks. :)
*"Preschool" refers to the letter-of-the-week themes I blog about. I try to stay consistent with Levi's math, spelling, handwriting, and piano practice, even when the other stuff doesn't get done.
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