Mary Ellen Harrison

I just have to share this -- I am so excited. I know you all must have a
zillion stories like this, but whenever it happens I feel so relieved and
revived.

We have been somewhat homeschoolers I guess from the beginning. I came
along kicking and screaming with curriculum and workbooks flailing around
wildly. But my kids (who just kept coming too -- we have 5 with the
youngest being 2 year old twins) just kept glaring at me when I would sit
down and announce that school had begun for the day. My oldest has done
Saxon math for a year now and I have been thrilled that we had some "proof"
that he is being educated. This whole approach has always seemed terribly
wrong to me, but I have this PTA mom persona who keeps lurking around in my
brain so I just didn't want to be that different. Well, my wonderful sister
just moved here not too long ago and, by her presence, has convinced me that
what is in my soul is right. SO, I have been relaxing and realizing that
they really DO want to learn and that they WILL learn all on their own
without me announcing that they will now learn something.

So, today, we got home from a great day and my 4 and 6 year olds started
talking about their hearts. So I yanked out the book about the body on the
shelf that had great overlays of the body and showed them to the kids. Then
we read the whole book together and talked all about the body's systems.
Then my 6 year old went off to the kitchen to draw her heart while my son
tried skipping around on one foot to feel what balance is, then he tried
biting his hand until his brain sent his hand the message to pull away (he
is a complete scream...). I sat there glowing in my love for these kids and
realizing that the only way to truly love them is to respect them and to
help them unfold in their own way and in their own time.

This list is great and has been very helpful to me in breaking some of my
PTA-mom personality's grip on me. :)

Thanks,

Mary Ellen in NC