New HSing Mom - HI and guilty confessions

[13Sandals]

This is our first year as a homeschooling family. I have 3 boys: 11, 8 and 5 months. What I have to ask is: Is it normal for homeschooling to be so easy?!!!

We are unrushed and though my oldest still fights over math (this happened last year every night over his math homework - which is a mystery since he is so mathmatically inclined and picks it up like gangbusters!) but I mean - we seem to be covering everything and we have so much free time, so much more energy to just enjoy being together - letting the conversations naturally veer off in the direction of their interests...I'm really astounded and in love with it..I dealt with so much fear at the idea of having all 3 of them home with me ALL THE TIME - but the truth is, its easier...how can that be??? Anyone else experience this?

[funkygranolamama]

Ahhhhhh... the beauty of hsing.

Yes it is so much easier. My family always says "put her in school and it will be so much easier and you'll have so much more time to do what you need to". That's so false. When she was in school I worked all day and then when she got out she did homework (useless, imo) until bedtime. There was NO time at all. Now, we get done with what we need to and then it's time for living.

[Mom4tot]

Welcome! Yes, it's wonderful, isn't it? I have 2 children and we work on many things together, they play, we knit... they do the things they love. I get to share it

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by 13Sandals

What I have to ask is: Is it normal for homeschooling to be so easy?!!!

Yes. Yes! YES! But usually only after people get over the initial disorientation that comes with entering new territory. You're just ahead of the game.

But about the math thing:

...and though my oldest still fights over math (this happened last year every night over his math homework - which is a mystery since he is so mathmatically inclined and picks it up like gangbusters!)

I would guess it might actually be his skill with math that causes a lot of his avoidance to having to work on it - having to do pages of problems he knows how to do easily without so much practice. If he's fighting over it, I'd step back and see if there isn't a way you can both agree on that would make math stay enjoyable for him. There are a whole lot of ideas on this math page: Go figure! Lillian

[lunabelly]

Oh, I'm glad to read your post. I just started hsing dd (10) this year, and I've been feeling guilty bc it's been fairly easy-going. We had a rough start with math, too, but we're getting the kinks figured out.

I keep thinking I'm not doing enough because we have so much more free time. I'm finally letting go of the structure a bit. I just have to make sure we do math every day, and now I'm letting her follow her interests-- for the most part.

Dss is a different story. He's in 8th grade ps all day and then comes home and does homework until bedtime.

[DesertMommy]

I totally agree!

Originally Posted by 13Sandals

I'm really astounded and in love with it..

I know! I keep thinking this must be a honey moon phase and will wear off! Say it ain't so.

[13Sandals]

Thanks, everyone! I don't expect perfection, maybe that helps, but there's no question that the stress level is down for all of us. Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has experienced this! Oh, and thanks, Lillian, for the link to the math page. I've been looking at ways to smooth out this area for us.