Worried

Every once on a while I go through a short stage of being apprehensive about the boys educations. Am I doing this right? Are we doing enough?

I should know better than to even subject myself to this worry because it is always quelled. I suppose worrying once in a while brings a renewed sense of purpose and direction. I always end up feeling great about what we are doing, and this time is no different.

The 3 young boys in my house did a lot of playing his last week, and did not meet all of their goals. I was worrying and wondering if I needed to change things. I had a talk with my husband who helped me see things in a new light: a paradigm shift.

We recently instilled a new goal system in our house to match the system being used at the commonwealth school we attend on Thursdays. At the Commonwealth the adults are studying the 7 Habits books and we have been inspired to make changes at home and at school.  I set up a system of earning stickers towards something the boys want. When they reach a goal they get stickers and when they get enough stickers, they get a reward. I also give out stickers for work well done and extra work. I thought it would take off like wild fire but it didn't. That was when I saw lots of playing and not a lot of working towards goals. For one thing I was not trusting the process and remembering that my 3 youngest kids are in Core and Love of Learning stages and my Scholar kids were doing great on heir goals. Second, as my husband reminded me, Rome wasn't built in a day, so I shouldn't expect a new system to work it's magic so quickly.

Well, fast forward to today when I am sitting with a happy smile on my relaxed face because things are going great with my kids' learning. All day my kids have been actively engaged in great work ethic and goal achieving. At this very moment there are 5 boys self directing themselves in learning. Science presentations are  being prepared, music being practiced, books being studied for pertinent information, writing skills being pursued and literature being enjoyed. Phew. It is working. They are educating themselves and loving every minute of it. I needn't have been worried.  :)