As I was reading comments a few moments ago, I simply had to burst out laughing! Stacy jokingly called me Wonder Woman. It made me wonder about how I portray myself as I blog though. Am I somehow being dishonest? I don't mean to be. But if so, here's the real scoop...
I feel like a consummate underachiever. I never seem to be "caught up" with anything...
1. Homeschooling, by far, takes up most of my time. Not so much the time actually spent "teaching". The time I spend directly engaged with Annie on a daily basis with school stuff probably only averages 2-3 hours a day (the discussions, the explaining, the watching of videos, etc.). But the amount of time spent in preparing far surpasses that. We don't use any kind of pre-packaged curriculum. Annie's abilities are all over the place, so a grade-level package simply wouldn't work. Besides that, they are generally ridiculously expensive. So I put things together from a variety of sources...library resources, the Internet, workbooks, shows taped from TV, etc. And so far anyway, it seems to be working very well. We believe Annie's getting an appropriate education "for her". But it is so time-consuming for me "putting it all together". Half the time, I have to learn everything first. But here comes the drowning underachiever part...today is the last day of our 3rd quarter. And I have next to nothing ready for the 4th quarter. I will need to spend an unbelievable amount of time over spring break just trying to make sure we have enough to do for the first couple weeks. And then I will be struggling for the rest of the quarter just to stay a day or two ahead of where we need to be.
2. There was a time I would never worry about someone just dropping in. I would be confident that the house looked good at any given time. Those days are gone. Yes, I keep the bathroom clean. And do a halfway decent job at keeping the place vacuumed. But there is an embarrassing layer of dust on everything! I simply can't keep up with the clutter that seems to invade every last nook and cranny. I've nearly given up completely on the boys' room...we're planning on redecorating it this summer (actually you could drop the "re", we've never really decorated it at all since we moved in here). I got so tired of fighting with all their "crap", that I just gave up. Hoping that we'll come up with some great storage ideas when we decorate this summer. And aside from their room, there are other major disaster areas...my little craft room and the laundry area in the basement as well as the garage (it looks like a bomb went off in there!).
3. I used to make all my cards. I never, ever was late in sending off cards or gifts. Usually had things ready weeks, if not months, ahead of time. No more. Already this year I've been late with birthdays twice! There's just no excuse for that! Geez--Annie's birthday is Sunday and I haven't yet made her a card or wrapped her gifts. I didn't get around to making Easter cards (though I did mail Easter packages) and I haven't yet filled Easter baskets or eggs for the egg hunt.
4. I want to read more for pleasure. And I'm trying. Hence the reading challenges I've joined. (The Spring Reading Thing and The Once Upon a Time Challenge)But I'm really not doing all that well, and can already predict that I won't actually meet either challenge (despite the fact that I tried to keep each list small).
5. I wish I could make more time to create. I know I talk about it enough, but I seem to get very little done. There was a time when I made a good percentage of our Christmas gifts each year. Can't even imagine that anymore. I've got thousands upon thousands of photos I'd like to scrap. Yeah, right, like that's ever gonna happen.
6. Our yard is a disaster as well. We had a week's worth of nice weather there. I should have been cleaning out the flower beds! But I didn't get to it (aside from pulling out about 500 maple seedlings, that is). And now I can't do it, because they're covered in snow again.
Wonder Woman I will never be. I can accept that, but I do wish I could accomplish something once in a while aside from laundry and cooking and child care. Anyway, in case I was somehow making it sound like I was some kind of Wonder Woman, I hope I have now set the record straight. Yep, Undeniable Underachiever...that's a much more fitting title.
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7 comments:
See, but you have the ambition. Just READING your list makes me want to take a nap! Seems that I do more of that lately than anything else.
Being a former elem.teacher, you hit the nail on the head. RARELY do teachers get to "teach." There is so much time spent on preparing, that there's hardly time for teaching! I SO admire you for what you do, though. What "grade" is Annie in? Good for you for doing such a good job!
You ARE Supermom. Really!
I was NOT joking when I called you Wonder Woman and after reading this, I still stand by that statement. It boggles my pea brain to comprehend all of what you do in the day, for yourself, your family, your house, etc. I couldn't do half of what you do, so you are definitely a super mom/wife/woman to me :)
P.S. I didn't think you were being dishonest in any way. Silly girl. I'm just admiring all of your many achievements!
Oh you silly thing ... you ARE Wonder Woman! Come one girlfriend, say it with me ...... I AM WONDER WOMAN!! :o)
As Moms, we don't see ourselves in that light. We feel like we're just doing our job and that's that. But, when you type your life out in a story for your blog ... it's the truth. We see it for what it is! You are really an amazing woman that seems very grouded.
I understand alot of your daily doings. Since I homeschool as well and don't use a prepackaged curriculum ... I know the effort it takes to lesson plan and make sure your child is learning *her way*!
My home used to be spotless, too ~ pffffft, I gave up on that. My house is clean and lived in! What more could I ask for?! If my doorbell rings and I'm teaching or the house is a mess, I just don't answer it, LOL!
Hope you have a great day ...
You do a lot! Fun to read about too, I enjoy it.
Gave you a little award on my blog, under paying it forward if it's not at the top when you check!
I'd say that your priorities are wonderfully in order. You tend to your home not your house. Forget the dust; it's actually a protective covering for surfaces. It's the inhabitants of a house who make it a home, and it seems to me that you tend to those just fine.
Debi~ You've got an award waiting for ya!
http://scsnugglebug.blogspot.com/2007/04/thinking-blogger-award.html
I swear I couldn't have written this post any better than you. You describe my life on a daily basis so perfectly. Motherhood is all about just trying to keep up, and it is so darned difficult.
You are doing a fantastic job though!
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