Why I love home schooling

Home schooling can be incredibly challenging, frustrating and rewarding. Some days I wonder if I am doing the right thing and there are days like today when I know when I love the results! We started our morning as we always do: breakfast, daily chores, prayers and then all the subjects (reading, poetry, phonics, language arts, science, history, spelling and writing)...at least the ones for today. Dominic worked on his phonics and reading and then I went up stairs and left the kids to play.
Dominic is always so anxious for Bella to get done with lessons so they can play together. He is so sweet always asking "when is Bella going to be done? I want to play with her." Since she got through her main work so fast this morning she gets a break until after lunch before we read books and do extracurricular activities like art or games. Some days she burns through her work (like today) others she drags it out until 4pm! Needless to say Dominic was thrilled.
After watching the kids run up and down the stairs I asked what they were up to. They then told me that they were setting up a store. They had all the play money that we use for math lessons and they had marked price tags on books, toys and games and they had set them all up around the school room on the desks, couch and table. Bella had on a name tag to let you know that she was the cashier and Dominic was quite happy putting items in his cart and paying his bill. This lovely learning game went on for about a hour and a half. Then the items were all bagged up and the kids decided that they were going to go on a airplane to have a vacation. They took all their items and packed them in suitcases, including packing clothes to wear on their trip. It was so cute hearing the kids agonize over which color shirt to pack or which shorts. I guess they are going some place warm. They then made an airplane out of chairs and they got ready to board for their trip.
I love watching the kids play with such imagination and creativity. I know that this isn't a direct result of homeschooling but the fact that they had to opportunity together to do it is. The great thing is that it is only 1pm. They were so busy having fun they didn't even stop for lunch until now.
I am off now to pack some airplane snacks for the stewardess to pass out during the flight. I know that there will be days that I am frustrated and wondering why in the world God chose this vocation for me....hopefully I will remember days like today and smile and thank God that I had the opportunity to see that children are the greatest miracle I have witnessed and that I am so lucky to be part of his plan.2.8.11