During the summer months, amidst the flip flops and swimsuits, it’s common to hear mothers say, “I can’t wait until school starts back up.”  Hearing this always grieves me, because what they’re really saying is, “I can’t wait to get rid of my child.”  Sure, there are days (many of them!) when Ariel drives me crazy, but if she were gone all day every weekday, I would miss her tremendously.

That’s my favorite aspect of homeschooling; I don’t have to be without my precious children.  When Ariel reads her very first book, she’ll read it to me.  I will get to be part of that special moment, not a teacher with a classroom full of children. When she gets frustrated at having difficulty with a new concept, I get to (hopefully) gently lead her through it.  When her eyes light up because she has suddenly recognized a connection between something new and something she already knows, I get to enjoy her delight.

There are days when my energetic young daughter drives me up a wall, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world – or even for the quiet that comes with an empty house.  I am thankful for the blessing of sharing my days at home with my little girls.