Tales of a Homeschooling Mama, Part Three

Homeschooling has its rewards, and I don't just mean the "we can do school wherever we want, whenever we want" mentality. Yes, that is awesome, but that isn't the reward I get from it.

I am learning patience. With as much as I yell and pull my hair out, there are more and more days when I'm giving high fives and patiently sounding out "shine" for the 3rd time in a row. Piper is sent away less often than before.

Piper is learning control. She sits in her chair. Although she wiggles, she sits in her chair. She looks at me when I'm talking. She asks questions when she doesn't understand something, rather than yelling that she doesn't know.

I am learning new things. Seriously. I didn't know half the stuff about Australia that we learned in one history lesson. I get an insight that most parents don't get on how a child learns how to read.

Piper is learning....period. Three weeks ago, she couldn't sound out a simple word. Now she says, "Wait, let me sound it out first" and she sounds it out. 9 times out of 10, she can do it. She is comprehending things in her childlike innocence that makes it fun for the both of us.

She looks forward to school and so do I. She is getting good grades and I get hugs and kisses. She took a test last week in Phonics....she normally does not master them the first time through. But this time, she caught herself. She gave a wrong answer, said, "Oops" and corrected herself. This time, she passed the first time with flying colors. I was so proud of her, I almost called everyone I knew.

This joy isn't there every day, but it comes and I'm so thankful for it.