We have reached our limit - and it is 4 hours.

More than 4 hours and the world falls apart in screeches and stomped feet.

For more than a week now, we have been "With Kitchen". A world that is infinitely nicer than the alternative.

For more than a week now, I've kept up with the dishes and the laundry and managed to squeeze in at least 4 hours of homeschooling each day.

We rely mostly on Spectrum's "Little Critter" series for the basics of Reading, Writing, and Math.

And then I have an entire crate to fill in with each day: Pirate stories, tales from Scandinavia, puzzles, mazes, hidden pictures, logic problems, patterns (like tessellations or linear what's next ones), sign language, maps, dinosaurs, and astrology projects.

I have a couple of books that tell me what he should know at the end of the year, and my own education experience. And it comes together.

But spend more than 4 hours at that table, and he begins to boil over. So I break things up with Magnetix and walks and housework and errands and then, of course, he has Fridays at a school for homeschool kids where he does art and gym and science projects and he has the part of the talking tree in the drama club's upcoming original production.

And around here, there are no deliverables. The quotas need never be met. The return on investment is drawn with big markers and the project plan consists of the available groceries divided by possible dinner menus.

I read my last post, and it made it seem like life was gray, that the song was a dirge, and that I was wallowing in my own fear.

But that is only 15 minutes a day.

No, I won't lie and say the impression is wrong.

I'll just say, it isn't exactly... right.

The days are so much more that what I am afraid of, or angry about. They are also filled with my son's voice reading a story made up of words he learned from me. Of the puppy slinking off her rug closer and closer to us until she can lean herself against our legs.

And the blessed hum of the dishwasher.

Posted by: Elizabeth at 11:11 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Beautiful.

Posted by: Janie at October 02, 2007 02:21 PM (UCqK5)

2 I get you completely. I start stressing out about money and getting a job or questioning if what we're doing is the right thing, and then Abby comes up and says "cuddle, Mommy?" and my heart melts. Things that could mean a sexual harassment lawsuit in the work place are what keep me home. You have to talk about the worries, though. There needs to be some sort of outlet, and sometimes your blog is the perfect place to do that. Yeah, I suck at responding to email too. I've been meaning to but never seem to have the time. Please forgive me!! LOL I'd do it now, but the husband should be (I hope) home soon and will want me to stop using his laptop. Greedy poop.

Posted by: Michele at October 03, 2007 12:26 PM (h1vml)

3 You did it again. Another beautiful post.

Posted by: sue at October 10, 2007 10:37 AM (WbfZD)

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