Anti-Procrastination

Can you believe that it's November already? CRAZY! God's really been teaching me something this last week or so.

Procrastination = bad!

It keeps happening. I'm going to write that blog post tomorrow. We'll do that history project tomorrow. We'll clean out the garage tomorrow. Know what happens?

Tomorrow never comes.

Cliche, I know, but it's true. I missed posting the last two weeks, partially due to the fact that I was sick. But also because I kept procrastinating. I'd make plans to write at a later time, but when that time came: "Mommy, I need you," "Honey, I need to run to the store," "Where's my (insert appropriate response)?" Throw in the extreme fatigue and breathing issues I was having--I'd stare at my computer screen, unsure how to prioritize. And then I close the laptop, put everything away, let out a huge sigh and wonder how in the world I will ever get anything done.

Because I do know how to prioritize. God first, family second, everything else below that. And in order to take care of the family, I have to take care of myself.

However, there is also a fine line between valid excuses and true procrastination. Although my excuses make sense, there were times when I wasn't feeling so horrible, when the kids were quietly watching cartoons or coloring, and Ray was at work--and yet, I was so overwhelmed by what needed to be done that I did nothing.

That's not good.

How do we overcome the mountains we perceive as insurmountable? 

Prayer is a biggie. God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but He will give us enough that we need to lean on Him. 

Another gift is that many BIG tasks can be broken down into little tasks and prioritized. This way we can feel good as we tick off each of the littler tasks. 

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Enlisting family can help with the extra little stuff. When stuff starts piling up, let go of the need to do it all by ourselves, and delegate, delegate, delegate.

Avoid procrastinating in the first place! When you stay on top of it all and have things organized, when something comes up, it's much easier to avoid falling behind, or at least so far behind that you just want to stay under the covers.

Take it from me: procrastination = bad. 

Struggling with Obedience

"You're not listening!" I shouted for the millionth time that day.

"But, Mommy!" she whined, sticking out her lower lip.

"I told you to clean up your toys. If you can't take care of them, I'll find another little girl who will appreciate them."

She crosses her arms, big tears welling up in her eyes before she stomps over to the pile of toys strewn around the room.

Great parenting form, Ralene. You're letting them get to you. Remember, don't raise your voice, get down on their level, tell them what's expected.

I'm sure that little scene is pretty common among families with kids, still sometimes I wonder if my kids are the only ones who seem to be out of control.

It didn't used to be this bad--just the last couple of months. The girls (5 and 4) are bundles of energy, and sometimes getting them to focus for more than a couple of minutes is like trying to catch a fly--buzzing from one thing to the next. Other times, they are so focused on whatever they're doing that they ignore me completely. It's frustrating.

My husband has also noticed the change--and is just as irritated as I am.

If I take the time to reflect on what might be causing it, I'm sure the number one issue is consistency. I know that we are not near as consistent as we should be. My husband has his health issues and works all day, I have my own issues as well and work at home on top of housework and homeschool. Sometimes I wonder if I'm maybe doing too much, if they need more of me. Am I inadvertantly causing this? Between those two things, I'm sure I definitely had a hand in it. After all, it's a parent's job to "train up" their children.

I haven't really made any changes as of yet, because I've been at a loss of what to do. I've taken up watching Supernanny and reading some books. I didn't know there were so many different views on child-rearing. I mean, I did know, but when you're looking for an answer, too many views leaves you no wiser than before--just more confused.

So, I've been doing some thinking and I've come up with a game plan. Would you like to know what it is? I thought so.

1. PRAYER: As with any problem in life, God is with me, with us. I can reach out for Him and ask for patience, for wisdom--I can even pray for my children to realize the error of their ways. A closer walk with God can only produce better fruit--though it still may take time.

2. CONSISTENCY: With my New Year's Resolutions, I created a schedule for our family. Whether I am working, schooling, cleaning, or playing with the kids, I need to realize what comes first. Those children learn as much by example as my saying so, probably more. I also need to make sure that my yes is yes and my no is no, no matter what I'm doing. I can't expect Kyra to quit carrying Connor around if I ask her to go get him when he wakes up from his nap and I'm in the middle of something. It sends her mixed signals.

3. TRAINING: Some of it is a lack of training. They can only be obedient when they know what to expect. Although we communicate rules to them, very rarely do we sit to discuss them, except, of course, when they're broken.

In hopes of helping with general behavior (especially obedience), I recently ordered a kit from We Choose Virtues to add to our homeschool curriculum. If you haven't heard of them before, check out their website. Most of the curriculum revolves around three main rules: Be Obedient, Be Kind, Be Helpful. Each one is fleshed out in the lessons.

I know my children are still learning, and they are only human (and, thankfully, so am I!). It is my job to train them up in a proper manner. I want them to be themselves, to fly to the heights they are capable of--and I want them to listen when I ask them to pick up their toys.

What about you? Do you struggle with obedience? Any suggestions/advice?

Assessing Your Year

Most of us will be taking a break for the holidays. This is the perfect time to step away from the constant push of curriculum and slow down with your family.

Time to enjoy, and also to reflect.

I hope you will plan a day within your holiday schedule to spend some time alone. Grab your lesson plans and some hot tea, have a prayer, and see if your year is going the direction you want it to.

Perhaps you need more structure. Maybe now is when you decide to break free from the workbooks.
Each family is different, and each child is different.

Is there a subject everyone {even you} cringes to tackle each day? Does your child smile with excitement over learning something new each day?






Perhaps you might decide you jumped into homeschooling and have committed all of the Five Things Not To Do When You Start Homeschooling sins. {Not you!}


Homeschooling is a living, constantly changing thing. We might not always see what needs to change as we go through the daily routine, but in the calmness of a few hours alone you never know what revelation you might have.

Always be open to change, and make sure your year is everything you hoped it would be. If it isn’t- on with the next!

Without Ideas

So, it's late Sunday night, and I'm finally getting around to writing up the post for this blog. And you know what? I haven't the faintest clue what to write about. Normally, I'm bubbling with ideas that I want to share. Those who know me can vouch for the fact that once you get me started on something I'm passionate about, it's hard to get me to be quiet!

What's the deal this week?

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I've been preoccupied with preparing for a conference this week. Before you get all excited--it's the American Christian Fiction Writer's Annual Conference. So, no, I won't be coming home inspired and spilling over with ideas. Well, I will, but I'm sure most won't have anything to do with homeschooling.

What do you do when your well runs dry? What happens when you're spent?

As homeschool teachers, I'm sure that happens to all of us at one time or another. We're with these adorable kids all day--every day. We're in charge of every aspect of their life. They don't leave to go somewhere for eight hours. Learning doesn't fit into a nice neat box.

We are called to teach them, to train them...but sometimes that pulls more out of us than we have to offer. What do we do?

The only thing we can do--

Take a break. Pray.

The Lord is on our side. He's rooting for us. He WANTS us to succeed. He has not called us to this huge endeavor only to watch us get sucked in to the point of utter exhaustion or failure.

How often have we watched a child determined to do something? Putting a puzzle together for example. Some children are so stubborn, and then they get so frustrated they start to cry or get angry. Finally, they turn to us, tears in their eyes. "Can you help me?"

God is the same way. He pours into us what we need WHEN WE ASK FOR IT. Like any good parent does.

So, right now, I'm praying that God would fill me with the inspiration to touch another's heart. To reach out to someone and offer that bit of hope, a pinch of inspiration.

Pray.