Family Togetherness

 

Here in NC we saw ice fall from the sky and then a nice layer of snow fell too just to make it interesting.  That means the state closed up shop.  Time to embark in some fun family times: board games, fireside chats (because the power was out) and dinner at the table by candle light.  There has been a lot of time to spend together.  

Now for some this is a blessing, for others, not so much. For me, it’s not so bad.  We generally are stuck home when there is a weather event due to my location in the “sticks”.  Homeschooling goes on, housework happens and we all go about our day.  Though, even with my extreme homebodiness, there comes that moment when you just can’t stay inside anymore.  

I watched the news, kept an eye on the weather and decided I would try to enjoy this storm and wait it out.  But, by Saturday when my husband suggested we brave the outdoors, I was dressed and ready before he got up! I guess I do have my limits of being at home!  So we went to the store to pick up a few things- mostly to get out of the house.  

My driveway road had trees downed by ice which made the drive out a bit of an adventure. The main roads were clear so getting to the store not so bad. It started to snow again; just lightly enough to send us home.  On the way back to the house, we decided to go ahead and cut down trees to make the road easier to traverse.  It was a good outing.

All in all we survived the storm and managed to not be overcome by cabin fever. And, the good news is that it looks like we are going to warm up this week! That will make all the crystal trees coated with ice disappear, and the snow will melt, but so will the ice.

Back to your regularly scheduled homeschool activites.

Posted By

Heather Garcia

Finding Friends

Definition of friend according to Merriam-Webster:

friend, n.

• a person who you like and enjoy being with
• a person who helps or supports someone or something (such as a cause or charity)

Being a stay at home, and a homeschooling mom, has made friendships both easier and more challenging.  What do you do if you really like someone but your kids do not mesh, or what happens if the problem is just the opposite? I have been blessed with an amazing group of friends, and a fantastic peer group. That said, there are times when I feel like a fish out of water. I have friends with kids in school who work and I find it hard to spend time with, or even common topics, but we still care about each other.  We support each other to the best of our abilities.  

Still, in any group (kids or adults) you will have differences of personality or opinion. So what do you do? Here is what I do: I try to be polite to everyone. I am acutely aware that some people do not like me.  I feel it, and have even had to hear it.  Mostly I try to smile and do my thing.  If you like me, great!  If not, we are grown people and we can be nice to each other, especially if our kids are playmates.  Yet, it is much harder than it sounds. Having a party with “all” my friends, means a diverse crowd.  People from all walks of life-both ends of the political and financial spectrum-with so many varied backgrounds. We make the term “melting pot” look boring.  I see it more like a stew.  Not everyone likes lima beans, or peas, but mostly we can all agree on a rich broth.

There are people I consider friends who I know don’t reciprocate and I have chosen to be okay with that.  With some people I interact, I am cordial to, but we are not friends.  Sometimes, the differences can be chalked up to just life; other times, it’s not enough shared common ground, still I am friendly.  The diversity in any given group, and especially a secular homeschool group, often has the unfortunate problem of having someone who does not like someone else, or there is an issue and a divide where people pick sides. To me it seems like we are all grown up enough to find a way to get through any issues- to be polite and to move on.  

That said, I have been in a circumstance where I have had to leave a group because of a personality clash, where I was not part of the “clique”. As a result I am acutely aware of feeling like an outsider. One that does not “belong”.  To this end, I try to reach out and embrace anyone new in our circles.  Even if we do not end up being the best of friends, it is my hope that we can be friendly, and that they felt welcomed by someone.  We are all human and all deserve respect and common courtesy.

Posted By

Heather Garcia

Welcome 2016

As we wrap up all our holiday celebrations and get back on our regular schedules, now is a good time to take a moment and evaluate how things are going with your homeschool plan. Let’s ask: What is working? What is not?  How is it being received by your child(ren)? Are there things that need to be changed up or dumped all together?

I know I personally need to make some changes. However, deciding what to change has been a quandary.

Our family was overcommitted in the Fall and it was a drain on all of us. So, I decided that I am going to watch my commitments. We spent a lot of time out of the house and it made for a cranky household. My family is made up of homebodies and I try to make sure we get out once in awhile, but perhaps I have overdone it a bit?  HA! I overdid it in fantastic fashion (as I do everything).

Now, other than being home more, what can I change? Spending more time outside.That is a big one. We need sunshine and fresh air to survive- just like plants.  Being cooped up in a building, be it home or co-op, is not a good thing.  Of course, the season will help with that.  We are out a lot in the Spring due to our huge garden and the family task of caring for it.

Another change we will be implementing is that a more positive attitude will be expected from everyone in our house. Misery indeed loves company and, while we can’t avoid all unpleasantness and unhappy situations, keeping a positive outlook will help all of us enjoy our lives more. This mandate, of course, is not a resolution; it is a realization that we were heading down a path that was gloomy and in need of a course correction.

In the end, these small changes will make our home a happier and more productive place.  Maybe, even a more welcoming place for friends and family.

Posted by

Heather Garcia