evaluating the day

Well today has been one of those days that is NOT a ringing endorsement for homeschooling, at least not for me.  As I said, Harrison is sick and I have allergy-related problems today, so two strikes against us right from the start.  Things really started going downhill when the boys were supposed to start their math lessons.  All three took an inordinate amount of time, spread over two sessions, to get the work done.  Landon kicked it up a notch by more or less refusing to do the work.  Three hours later... yes, three hours of whining, complaining and carrying on... he finally finished.  The actual WORK took less than 15 minutes.  How would this child manage on a timed test?????

 

But there's always pros and cons.  Today was a negative experience in homeschooling because I had to deal with my child's stubbornness and temper - traits he would have kept in check at least somewhat in a setting away from home.  No way would he have pushed a Sunday School teacher that way, but I'm his mother so he pushed as far as he could.  (Lest my readers think that he got away with this, trust me, he did not. )  But on the positive side of that - I could discipline him appropriately, and a public school teacher would not have been able/allowed to do that.  And when the battle was over, I got a cuddle. 

Another negative was the fact that Spencer and Landon didn't get a full school day because Mom and Harrison weren't feeling well.  Not that THEY mind! LOL  But Harrison got some - and if he'd stayed home from public school, that wouldn't have happened.

 

At the end of the day, I hope that Landon has learned a lesson much more important than subtraction facts - I asked him what he had learned from all of it, and he said, "just do the work without complaining and it won't take as long"  Here's hoping  he'll remember that tomorrow when I say those dreaded words "please get out your math book..."