Part 4: Survival

People think that mothers in families that choose to educate at home are gifted, patient, creative, etc. Well, let me shock the world and say that I am none of those. And, the fact that I have a teaching degree does not qualify me to educate my children at home. (It doesn't help either, I just know some educational terminology that others may not know yet.)
Yet, I do not think that all people should educate at home but I do believe that they could if they really wanted to or had to do so. One can do what one wants or needs to do...survival. But, this post is about a different kind of survival.

Let me describe the job of a stay at home, educate at home wife/mother. Isn't that a mouth full? Well, it is also a day full. Do I see your head nodding in agreement?  I thought so. On any given day a home educating mother can be found cooking, cleaning, teaching, training, administering first aid, attempting to clear a clogged drain and maybe even repairing a broken household item. Get the picture? Cook, maid, teacher, mother, nurse, plumber, carpenter, mechanic, computer technician, gardener, oh and somewhere in there she is also a wife. Get the picture?

How are we as mothers supposed to wear all these hats? Well, it isn't all at once, two or three at a time maybe, but not all of them. Enter survival mode. Learn to pray, prioritize, plan and practice.

1. Pray- I would not want to attempt this journey without my Heavenly Father. I once read that we should plan but we should pray and know that God's plan might be different and because we have a plan we can proceed as He has planned. His plan is the better plan anyway. 
2. Prioritize-What is important, what can wait, and what can be done away with? Obviously the laundry must be done, meals must be prepared and bathrooms must be cleaned. But what can be set aside today? Remember, do not answer right away when asked to do something, and saying no isn't as difficult as you might think. I used to say yes to everything, now I reserve my yes answers after checking with my husband.
3. Plan-I love to plan, I could all day every day. Planning is important to me having success as a home educating Mom. Remember, be flexible with in your plans. I do not mean to plan out every lesson of the school year and make it happen regardless...but plan in a way that works for you. 
4. Practice- I had to have a fourth P word. Practice means: 1. To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of  2. To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill 3. To give lessons or repeated instructions to; drill 4. To work at, especially as a profession: practice law. 5. To carry out in action; observe. 6. Obsolete To plot.     

I will also mention a term I have heard many times but just recently came to clearly understand. Mother Culture. I know I need time daily to do something besides the necessary things of life.This is one area which needs a little more practice around here. I am attempting to re work my personal schedule to make time for the things I need. I am also working on more time in Bible study and Bible reading and prayer, which is crucial for right relationships, priorities and thinking.

My reminder, do not compare yourself to other mothers. You are you and you have to work to find out what works for you...and then guess what? You might have to do this again and again as you move through the different seasons of life. I have moved through many seasons of marriage, motherhood and life over the years and will move through many more.

Survival seems a rather primitive term but I think it fits this job. For some reason many people see us as super women and I know that term does not describe me at all. I survive!