Time management

I don't want to keep reposting things that have been posted on our various blogs but this link http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/11/time-management-101-stop-trying-to-do-it-all.html explains a lot about us and our approach to home ed.

I can do some things well; some things average; and some things I really don't do. I would like to learn to do some of those things, others I'd just hate.  I know (or have learned over the last 20 yrs) where my skills lie, and where they don't. And after a few guilt-induced efforts ("everyone should be able to sew/make bread/jam/polish their silver") I've given up on the things that I can't do or do less well; in order to concentrate on other things.

Because, as we realised pretty early on in our married lives (six children under six and a half and pregnant again was kind of a "light-bulb" moment for me), "I can't do it all".

Ultimately, we rely on God's grace and strength to get through each day, term, year; but none of us (regardless of family size) can "do it all".

People have asked me over the years "but how do you do it all?" - and I'm afraid the answer is, I don't.

As my children have gotten older, they have been very helpful with everyday household tasks. My husband (esp earlier on in our marriage did a lot to help in the house too). And what we can't do, doesn't get done.

That is a fact of life, that sometimes I don't want to accept. I'd like to have a perfect house, life, family - along with perfect hair and beautifully styled clothes with matching accessories :-) but that isn't going to happen.

I read somewhere recently "where two duties seem to clash, one of them is not a duty". I try to bear that in mind as I try to organise our lives.

(Children at fireworks party)

I realise I've not yet posted about an "ordinary day"; maybe because we've not had many ordinary days lately. November is a busy month; we have two birthdays, and three special educational topics/celebrations - Bonfire Night; Remembrance Day; and Thanksgiving. These extra projects take time out of our "ordinary day". This year we also have exams, and are caring for an elderly relative who needs daily visiting in (a thankfully local) hospital. (And apparently there is a gymnastics competition coming up before the end of the month, but I've not got that down on the calendar yet.)

To add to the complications of home education, I've had a flare up of my semi-permanent back pain. This has involved organising lessons while attached to a hot-water bottle; having to spend some time lying on the sofa in the classroom while doing e.g. reading with the infants; and trips to medical people.

The point I'm trying to make here is that it's not that real life gets in the way of home education; but rather that home education is part of real life.