Happy, Homemaker, Now Homeschooling

Having five children and staying at home with them day in and day out is no easy task. Deciding to home school them is even more challenging. I am what you would call a "new home school", at home mom. They are my children, and though it is difficult at times, mainly because teaching is time consuming, especially when dinner, the laundry, the mop bucket and Mr. Clean, are calling my name. Honestly, in this day and age I would not have it any other way.

Pros to Home Schooling

When you home school, it takes away the daily worrying. "Is that towering, big boned, kid in Timmy's class still pickin' on him?" No more fantasies about sneakin' up to the school and smackin' that kid just one good time, so he keeps his huge, chubby, manly hands off your kid. Bully's are now a flash in the past.

There is no early morning rush to the bus stop ,when the moon is still out and the sun is sleepin' at 6 a.m. The bus stop is where the "let's get ready for school" misery begins. There is always somebody's child with no home training actin' unruly, loud and obnoxious, runnin' around with a branch or a big stick, playing in the street. So you gotta stand there to make sure his hard headed behind don't strike nobody' s child, especially yours. I can't leave out the parents who speed off in their Mercedes way too fast, bouncing over the speed bumps in the neighborhood, because they don't want to be late to work, after droppin' little Katie off at the bus stop.

The lunch money or sack lunch reminders are over. Now the kids eat whatever meal I prepare. I don't miss the crusty, hair net wearing, cafeteria ladies sending home notes to tell me I owe $1.75 because my child forgot their lunch money, and had to eat the disgusting dry, peanut butter bread lunch that I would not feed a hungry dog.

"Honey, do you have homework?" I won't have to ask that question, nor wonder if your child was goofin' off or spacin' out during classroom instructions, because you are now the teacher and "mommy/teacher don't play that." Homeschool takes a load off but puts one on too.

Cons to Home Schooling

Timmy, Randy, Jayden, Melissa, and Candice are home all day long. There is no coffee break in the teacher's lounge for me. I do miss my afternoon Ben and Jerry ice cream breaks, where I prop up my feet, watch what I want and do not share a drop of that ice cream.

"Mom can you help me with this math problem, I don't understand it?" they say. I'm thinkin', I don't understand fractions nor am I too swift with middle school word problems either. If it's not in the teacher's answer booklet, I don't know what to tell them.

Now I must prepare a full breakfast, lunch, dinner and do not forget the snacks. No stretching out on the couch after doing your house duties, for a cat nap or to catch Oprah or Rachel Ray. Grading papers is what I do, another part time job, with no pay check.

Seriously, all jokes aside home schooling is the best way to educate, get to know, understand, and enjoy your children. The world has its own teaching methods. There is nothing more fulfilling than having an impact on your children's future by becoming their teacher.