You know that feeling you got as a kid in public school the night before the first day? I do. I was nervous, excited, worried, excited, anxious, and excited. What would I wear? Would I like my teacher? Would my friends be in my class? Do I want to bring my lunch or buy? Would I have fun? Would the teacher pick me as “teacher’s helper”? It was real. I usually couldn’t sleep the night before, thinking about all of my questions and waiting for them to be answered. Well, the night before I began my homeschool year with my children, I had the same feelings and similar thoughts.
My children don’t know that feeling, and they may never know it, and that’s ok. But for me that night, I stayed up late preparing for the next morning and hoped that my children would be as excited as I was when they woke. I love teaching and I love learning! How could anyone not be excited about the first day of school?
…my children.
When my oldest woke that first morning, he sat on the couch and looked at me and said, “Hey…I’m in first grade now!” I beemed at him and hugged him and told him how excited I was for him. I loosely went through our schedule and what I required of him in the mornings alone when he woke before his brother and sister. It’s easier for some things first thing in the morning without them. So, I handed him his Bible verse of the week to memorize and copy. He read it to me and began to write…”Ask, and…” (5 mins later with pencil down and head tilted back), “I’m tired…do I have to do this? Can I take a break?” Ok.
The rest of the morning went just as smoothly. My other children were awake by now and we all had breakfast and continued our morning chore routine. However, my first grader didn’t want to wear the shirt I set out for him (even though I was excited to pick out his clothes the night before and it was a great first day shirt), he wasn’t interested in the activities I had stressfully planned, and he wasn’t enthused with my first day excitement that was slowly taking form into something less desirable. There may have been some frustrated crying on his part that morning. Then, on the way to bring my 3 year old to his co-op preschool class, I asked him in a cheery voice if he was excited about his first day of preschool!...”No.” Ok.
They each went to their classes taught by some friends, and by the time I picked them up for lunch they were back to their normal, happy selves. We got home and did a few more small things to review certain skills, played a few little card games, and introduced some vocabulary. My little ones took a nap after lunch while I taught a class with my oldest and his friend, which thankfully went well. The day got better as it went on, but not less busy. I went to bed that night regretting all the preparation I had done for weeks before that day and the overwhelming excitement I had carried into the morning…and then regretted that I had even regretted it.
It felt good to be prepared, but it also felt good to be knocked down into the reality of my children and our days. We are not in public school. We don’t have to mimic the sleepy-eyed lessons that are forced upon children every day. I learned that it’s ok to be excited about the beginning of a school year, or even the beginning of a new day or week, knowing you have great things planned. But you have to staple to it the fact that it probably won’t happen how you imagine it. Have a backup plan (B…or Z), and keep your cool. The first day you imagine may just happen…on day 23.
Moral of the story: Plan for the best, anticipate the worst, and begin your day at 9am!
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