I know this may not be directly farm related, but one of the reasons we can (and do) homeschool our children is because we farm. We can teach them so much just by farming and running our business. We can (and do) work our work schedule around their school schedule. And I know many of our customers and farm followers are fellow homeschoolers who (rather you realize it or not) have inspired me along the way to start this homeschool journey. You continue to encourage me and support me along this journey, all the days, the good days and the hard days.
I wanted to share some thoughts I’ve had recently and how my mindset has changed a little. I am a planner, I like to schedule my days and have them work out just as I planned, maybe that’s my controlling personality, maybe that’s my education background, maybe it’s a little OCD- probably a little of all it combined. But between farming and homeschooling and momming and all the things, that usually doesn’t work out MY way.
When we started this homeschool journey I wanted to get animals fed, cows milked, breakfast and school to start by 7:30-8am so we could be done before noon to do all the other things. We were able to do that through October, maybe even into November. Then it started getting lighter later in the mornings, we don’t have electricity in our calf barn so headlamps it was (not a big deal). Then it was really getting colder and staying cozy in the house a little longer was a privilege we didn’t have when attending public school. Part of the decision to homeschool came from wanting a slower life, not always rushing out the door to the next thing. So we allowed ourselves to stay in a house a little longer. Then we would stay up and watch a show or a football game together, (I mean the Lions winning season is a history lesson right?) as a family. Getting up a little later was again a privilege we’ve never had as we are now in control of our time (sort of). And let’s just be honest the kids getting enough sleep makes everyone’s days go better. It is now January and we have Winter. It’s snot freezing cold, snow is deep and waking up early to get out to the barn is not always that inviting. Do we do it early some days? Yes. Do we have to do it early everyday? No. We are in control of that. Some days we let the kids sleep in until 7 or even 8am, some days we wake them up early to go milk cows with Jason. Our animals are always taken care of, our kids are always taken care of and our school is always still done by noon-ish. We’ve added an -ish in there just for the days the kids ‘forget’ a subject and we have to remind them12,0000 times to finish it, or the power goes out and we have to pause school to hook up generators and we get back to it a couple hours later.
In talking with a friend the other day, he reminded me that isn’t this how we are supposed to work and live? Up and working with the daylight? So, if it’s not daylight until later we get out and start working later? This really resonated with me and made me realize, maybe, just maybe we are doing things the way God intended. The way our ancestors did them. Rest a little more in the winter months and work in the daylight hours. We have more work in the summer months on our farm, God created more light in the summer months to get that work done. God created a season of ‘rest’, although we don’t’ ever totally rest, we should be taking this season to do more of it.
So for now we will spend some family time together watching the Lions make history or streaming a movie we’ve been wanting to see together. The kids still need their rest, and it gives Jason and I a little more time to have just one more cup of coffee together before we start school and more farm work. To live this life we are blessed, and I don’t just say that lightly. I truly look back at where we were even 5 years ago and think “wow” following God’s plan for us is so very rewarding.