The value of hard work

Today's "school activity" was cleaning up the yard/garage for winter. It's funny how every one is enthusiastic when we first start a project like this, but then slowly, children start dropping out, one by one.

Logan was first (as usual), followed by Maggie, who "volunteered" to baby sit Madison (who still ended up coloring on the wall with a marker while I was out side). Hailey who, in the past, has been the least excited about projects involving manual labor, was actually the most dedicated today. She stayed until the end collecting toys from the front yard (my brother said our front yard looks like Nascar with all the bikes and toy cars every where) and raking 4 bags full of leaves. She is becoming a great worker.

It's been interesting this year to see her slowly easing into the "Love of Learning" stage. At the beginning of the year, I told the kids there would no longer be any "requirements" for school. They were allowed to pick whatever they wanted to do. (This ties into the Thomas Jefferson education philosophy if you're wondering. All true, worthwhile education is self education. No one -including or especially children- retain information they are forced to learn, so we let them choose). After the last two years of struggling with math, and by struggling I mean me yelling and Hailey crying, I don't think Hailey really believed me that she could choose whatever she wanted to do. The first few weeks of school were a little frustrating for me because any time I asked her what she wanted to learn about that day she'd shrug and say, "I don't know. Can I just read something?". I think she was testing me to see if I'd really follow through and let her choose. Some days it took all I had to simply smile and say, "sure" because this theory, although I know it's the best method for their education, is never the less COMPLETELY different from how my brain is programmed. Slowly though as I am regaining her trust, I see her initiating her own learning. She comes up with things she wants to learn about all on her own, multiple times throughout the day, not just during designated school hours. And on the days we focus on skills like chores or laundry, she works harder and longer than any of the other kids. (she used to be the first to get bored with the project.)

There are of course still days when she doesn't feel like doing much, but they are getting fewer and farther between.

And as for me, I just have to take a deep breath, and do my best to "trust in the process".