Umm.... i don't. You do??
This week's Blog Cruise topic is intended to answer the question: How do you find time for everything, like housework, homeschooling, time alone, etc.?
I learned very early on in my adulthood that YOU CANNOT HAVE IT ALL. Oh, there are LOTS of people and organizations that want us to believe that if we do this right or get that planner or take this course or have that job or marry that type of person or whatever that we CAN have everything - but folks, it just ain't so. There is Give with your Take and Take with your Give. It is all a balancing act.
Okay, so how do i do it?
First of all, homeschooling isn't a portion of my day, it is my entire day. When we take care of the dog's basic needs, we are educating. When we take a trip to the grocery store, we are educating. When we play with our preschooler, we are educating. When we do laundry, or dishes, or vacuuming, or whatever, we are educating. When i am working with the older children, my preschooler is learning patience and honing her independent play skills. There are too many precious opportunities in regular life to focus only on the 3 R's. We aren't trying to attain recognition for all we accomplish - we are just trying to learn and love and live the lives God gave us.
Secondly, there is no hope for getting it all done. I do not actually believe that done is possible. D-O-N-E is actually "Do Over Nearly Everyday." The mundane repetition will kill you if you don't wrap your head around it's Presence. Hence, it is all always waiting for me when i open my eyes, and i accept that i will do the same dozen things today that i did yesterday. Part of my life... the kids need food (cooking classes), the spouse needs coffee (raising future Proverbs 31 women, you know), the dog needs to go out (veterinary medicine, anyone?), the little one needs attention (mothering/parenting education and learning to be selfless in love), the bigger ones need schooling (discipline and understanding of the world), the laundry needs sorting (sizes, colors, organization, homekeeping), the dishes need washing (more homekeeping), the bills need paying (math, discipline, money management), the house needs cleaning (and even more homekeeping), etc. And right now, two baby chicks need me, too (raising chicks is one way we do science).
Moreover, if we strive to prove all the ways we get it all done, have it all together, and make it all work, we are not only fooling ourselves, but how can we possibly be true friends to anyone? Most people will not like us very much, and some will raise us up on a pedestal as someone they are hoping to become... God forbid.
So, on any given day, i may not take a shower until bedtime (if at all), i may have mountains of laundry reproducing like bunnies in the hampers, my kitchen sink may overflow with dirty dishes, we may have to step over stacks of stuff on the stairs, and my floors may not be worthy of important company, but we get along.... We're gonna do it all again tomorrow, anyway. {wink}
This week's Blog Cruise topic is intended to answer the question: How do you find time for everything, like housework, homeschooling, time alone, etc.?
I learned very early on in my adulthood that YOU CANNOT HAVE IT ALL. Oh, there are LOTS of people and organizations that want us to believe that if we do this right or get that planner or take this course or have that job or marry that type of person or whatever that we CAN have everything - but folks, it just ain't so. There is Give with your Take and Take with your Give. It is all a balancing act.
Okay, so how do i do it?
First of all, homeschooling isn't a portion of my day, it is my entire day. When we take care of the dog's basic needs, we are educating. When we take a trip to the grocery store, we are educating. When we play with our preschooler, we are educating. When we do laundry, or dishes, or vacuuming, or whatever, we are educating. When i am working with the older children, my preschooler is learning patience and honing her independent play skills. There are too many precious opportunities in regular life to focus only on the 3 R's. We aren't trying to attain recognition for all we accomplish - we are just trying to learn and love and live the lives God gave us.
Secondly, there is no hope for getting it all done. I do not actually believe that done is possible. D-O-N-E is actually "Do Over Nearly Everyday." The mundane repetition will kill you if you don't wrap your head around it's Presence. Hence, it is all always waiting for me when i open my eyes, and i accept that i will do the same dozen things today that i did yesterday. Part of my life... the kids need food (cooking classes), the spouse needs coffee (raising future Proverbs 31 women, you know), the dog needs to go out (veterinary medicine, anyone?), the little one needs attention (mothering/parenting education and learning to be selfless in love), the bigger ones need schooling (discipline and understanding of the world), the laundry needs sorting (sizes, colors, organization, homekeeping), the dishes need washing (more homekeeping), the bills need paying (math, discipline, money management), the house needs cleaning (and even more homekeeping), etc. And right now, two baby chicks need me, too (raising chicks is one way we do science).
Moreover, if we strive to prove all the ways we get it all done, have it all together, and make it all work, we are not only fooling ourselves, but how can we possibly be true friends to anyone? Most people will not like us very much, and some will raise us up on a pedestal as someone they are hoping to become... God forbid.
So, on any given day, i may not take a shower until bedtime (if at all), i may have mountains of laundry reproducing like bunnies in the hampers, my kitchen sink may overflow with dirty dishes, we may have to step over stacks of stuff on the stairs, and my floors may not be worthy of important company, but we get along.... We're gonna do it all again tomorrow, anyway. {wink}
Angie,
ReplyDeleteHave you been peeking at my house??? Thanks for being so candid.
Laura, i have not, but it is so nice to know i am NOT the only one!! :^)
ReplyDelete