I wrote this last week and thought I posted it, but apparently I didn't. It's amazing how fast everything can change, how one little eight pound person makes all the difference.
Yesterday was my first day of being a "stay-at-home-mom." It's a rather ridiculous claim in many ways because even if I was going to return to being a "working mom," I would be on maternity leave right now. And realistically, I'm going to have to get a part-time job in a few months so the title doesn't completely fit. And...
yesterday was yet another snow / ice day, so I would have had off no matter what. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the hell out of it. I knew that yesterday was not the new baby's day to come, woke up knowing it. Sena, Gus, and I started the day making coconut flour pancakes together before they started on their school books. I checked in on them while folding loads of laundry, brewing more Kombucha, picking up the kitchen, entertaining Arlo. In the afternoon we sat down to work on nature journals together before their friends came over to build popsicle stick weapons while I planned
a homeschool unit we'll start soon enough. It felt like everything I ever wanted it to feel like. This is where I have wanted to be.
I won't go counting chickens yet. I know that adding in an infant is going to change everything. And I know that a peaceful first day means next to nothing. But I won't let that undermine how perfectly this new stage started. The rough days ahead can't take that away from me.
I don't think the baby is coming today either, so I'll stockpile the kitchen and freezer and go to what I hope is my last midwife appointment before the big day. I'll keep plugging away at all things nesting while sipping on the endless cups of raspberry leaf tea.
I'm new here - have you homeschooled for a while? I got the impression that you were a teacher. My daughter is begging me to homeschool her and we've put off any decision until after the baby is born. . . curious to hear more about your path. . .
ReplyDeleteI have been teaching public school the past eight years while my mom watched / schooled my kids during the day. My mom home schooled me and three of my sisters, so she's very comfortable with the whole thing, and really darn good at it. She focused on math and language arts. During the afternoons, evenings, weekends, ect, my husband and I fit in the rest, which has worked suprisingly well despite lacking a whole lot of structure. I am excited to try to get into a more normal routine, even though I fear I might never really be much of a routine person.
DeleteI suspect that the key to homeschooling with a baby is being okay with flexible structure. I'll keep you posted. I'll tell you, I love home schooling for me as the teacher / mother. It's fun learning along with them and getting the freedom to pursue all sorts of different things. How old is your daughter? I beeged my mom to start homeschooling us when I was in fourth grade, and I loved school, so it wasn't as though I was unhappy there.
what a creative arrangement with your mom! My daughter is finishing 3rd grade and she doesn't like her teacher this year (sighhhh). I was a high school English teacher until my kids were born, and now I'm a freelance editor. I've been teaching my daughter piano at home to see what it's like to homeschool and wow, it's hard. I do have friends who homeschool and I really admire what they do and their approach. . . we'll see.
DeleteWhat a beautiful morning you describe.
ReplyDelete