I am typically not a procrastinator. And I’m not particularly sure why, at the age of 36, in my third post-secondary school experience, I have chosen now to procrastinate my school work.
I guess I can attribute some of it to both kids being home with me for the last four months. And I’m helping Archer finish kindergarten while managing all of the typical day-to-day things. I have been keeping up with my twice-weekly blog, but time to myself, writing time other than the blog, has been hard to come by.
So, here I sit. Four days away from the deadline for my final portfolio with The Writer’s Studio Online, and all I have finalized and ready to go is my introduction and five out of twenty pages.
The thing is, to be honest, I’ve been struggling. Workshopping my writing has been extremely beneficial—the feedback I’ve received has helped me improve my writing noticeably, to myself and my mentor/teacher. But I’ve had a hard time taking the critiques of my peers and applying it directly to my written work. I’ve let it overwhelm me, and while I think I know why, I really wish I’d just snap out of it!
There has been so much else going on in life recently, for everyone, more than me. Personally, I had to make the choice to let some things fall to the side while my well-being takes priority. My final portfolio, for example.
Rolling with the same theme I went with for Archer’s birthday post earlier this month, I’m going to share a few things I’ve learned from homeschooling a kindergartener that are reflected in my own return to school as a student in my thirties.
View from Our Living Room Window
Patience
My patience is the number one thing I work on every day, as a parent. Times that effort by approximately one million, and you have home schooling.
Disclaimer, I don’t think what we’ve been doing is truly homeschooling. Nothing against our school or Archer's teacher, she is amazing. But we only have time during the couple of hours that Maverick is down for his naps and I in no way think this equates to what he would be learning/doing as a full-time home-schooled student.
I have also had to focus on my own patience for myself in my writing and school venture. While I think I have been pretty lucky as far as my writing is concerned, I need to remember to grant myself grace when I’m not in the mood to write, or find that nothing worthwhile is coming out of my fingertips.
Patience is key.
Time Management
Since my bi-weekly workshops on Tuesday evenings have ended, I have blocked off every Tuesday evening to retreat to my desk and write. I’m afraid that if I don’t strictly set aside the time for writing, it just won’t happen. It’s not easy to write with the kids around, though I’m not opposed to tossing on a movie and writing on the laptop next to them on the couch.
For Archer, there are some things that we’re able to do when Maverick is around, but he tends to be far too distracting when Archer needs to focus on things like math or writing. We have done a great job at getting most of his work done while Maverick naps, and even managed to take both his and my birthdays off a couple of weeks ago.
All that being said, I am looking forward to summer break. I still want Archer to practice some of the school routines like writing, practical life, Cosmic Kids Yoga and math, but I’m also hoping that we can take advantage of Brad working from home and get out on the bikes or to the tennis court while Maverick is napping.
Understanding
I can say with certainty, that it is no fun to have your mom—who is not a teacher—try and teach you the things you should be learning at school. Archer and I are very similar, which is a nice way of saying that we butt heads. A lot.
But to be honest, we both try. And when things are hard, I’m lacking patience or Archer is not wanting to do his work, I take a deep breath and try to understand. Where he’s coming from, what he might be rather doing. And if it’s sunny out, like yesterday, I let him off the hook to go outside and play instead of doing his school work. Because at the end of the day, he’s a kid. And working with your mom is hard. When I can share a little of that understanding with myself, too, we’re all a lot further ahead.
Subtraction with Unit Cubes - Hard at Work!
I hope that you’re all doing well in your daily lives, and that you’re not a procrastinator, too. Or if you are, that you take a breath right along with me and know that we’ll get shit done. Cause I'm gonna get this shit done. And when I do, I'll be that much closer to a more polished draft of my book. And that is frickin exciting!
As summer approaches/school ends, new days begin on repeat. Be well. And tell me, where have you seen patience, understanding and time management come into play in a positive way for you?
Don’t forget the kindness for yourself, too,
Anya