Because Sometimes You have to do Things You don't want to Do

Motivating three kids who'd rather be playing than doing school has made the title above an all too often spoken mantra, especially on Wednesdays. As much as we love Sundays, there's something about Wednesdays that fail to illicit feelings of excitement. Perhaps it's that middle of the week drudgery because there are still too many days ahead to get excited about the weekend and too many days behind it to still feel inspired about a new week. I actually don't mind Mondays. I'm usually ready to get back on "the schedule". Two days off on the weekend is about all I can handle before the kids start to drive my crazy.

During the week they're so busy that any freetime they have is spent in earnest play, whereas on weekends, too much free time for the kids means bickering, whining, and wandering around "lost". Mind you, that never happens to Alton who can come up with endless tasks to be accomplished, but the other two have definite lost moments and so come to their parents expecting to be entertained. For Avery that means playing car garage with him or reading the same library book over about 12 times. For Alayna that means playing doll house or princesses. These are things I don't mind doing...for about 15 minutes and then I'm back to marathon cleaning or whatever else I can't get done during the week.

This morning, I woke up with a particular bad case of the "I don't wanna's", but I got out of bed and got ready to go to the gym because sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do. Wednesdays are my second longest run day of the week too. I would not mind this, except that all my runs except Saturdays, have to be done on the treadmill at 8am. Otherwise, it just will not fit into the schedule and running on a treadmill for 4 miles is nothing short of b-o-r-i-n-g.

Coming home from the gym, my attitude was not any better about the prospects of starting morning school, but we did because sometimes you have to - well you know what I was going to say. Because of my attitude, I took a few short moments to dwell in self pity especially at the point where I was giving two different spelling tests simultaneously all the while holding a little boy wearing his coat and clutching several matchbox vehicles begging me to go get in the car (He loves to go. He doesn't even care where). Why am I homeschooling when I could be out shopping and having lunch with those other Army spouses who choose to put their kids in public schools? Homeschool Moms do have these moments especially on bizarre beautiful springlike days in the middle of January....hmmm 30 minutes before lunch and Alton still has Latin and handwriting to do. Hmmm...I think I'm a Charlotte Mason homeshcool Mom today instead of a Classical Homeschool Mom. "Okay Alton, scrap the Latin test for the day and get outside with Alayna and Avery." With Alton more than grateful to comply, he fled the house with his siblings. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do, but other times there is great delight in realizing that those things are not so important as what you feel like doing.

I began to fix lunch and watched them from the kitchen window. For several moments they were gathered around our biggest tree (and it is a big one). I tried to take a picture but with my camera batteries dead and my phone needing to be charged, it just didn't happen so I'll have to describe it. The three of them were gathered around the tree studying some ants busy at work. Apparently, there was much to be discussed on the subject. It was just too cute and I was glad that they were together and not all split up at school and that I was able to watch them while they played. Oh yeah, that's one of the reasons I homeschool and I'd rather have these moments than to be out shopping and lunching with friends.

After about 30 minutes I reluctantly interrupted their play with lunch on the deck. I can't believe the weather we're having. After that, they decided to use the bubbles that Santa got them, these cool ones that somehow form a thin layer of plastic that doesn't pop easily. Avery was an easy target and I saw him running up and down the deck with numerous little plastic bubbles resting in his curls. Maybe Santa didn't think that one through too well, after all, exactly what chemicals did they have to put in those bubbles to make them do that? Oh well, once won't hurt them.

We've had some quiet time now and Ave is down for his nap. Somehow starting Math just doesn't sound that great, but we will because sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do.