"Teachable Moments" - they're EVERYWHERE!

OK - now that I have a little bit of a brain (feels like it's been the first three months after having a baby)...  I think I can keep this updated a little more often but I have some catching up to do.

What I see in homeschooling that is vastly different than what happens when you're not privately tutoring your kids, is that there are a billion "teachable moments" in any given lesson.  Opportunities to teach something that may or may not have to do with the subject at hand, that would have never been detected.  It's exhaustingly fulfilling.

Mainly, I am referring to character lessons.  Opportunities to talk about things that will build a foundation for a lifetime.  Diligence, hard work, tools to help fight the temptations of laziness, boredom, discouragement, impatience, challenges, envy, etc.  I can stop the lesson and talk about (hopefully with the fruits of the Spirit) things that are applicable to everything.  Such as, working at something that isn't "interesting" or doing your best handwriting when you are sick of handwriting or finding something interesting in a story that was poorly written or paying attention when you're tired, or how your mind feels different/learns differently if your body is sitting up straight or loose like a noodle.  how your heart lifts when you are smiling vs. when you are frowning.  That your thoughts create your experience.   I can see first hand the eyes glaze over when we've maxed out the amount of information capable of being ingested. We can take a break and review the info later (i.e. learning facts about the different states/colonies) in a way that is more fun.  My mom pointed this last one out - that if a child in school tunes out/gets distracted - it's not really noticed.

I can also see a lot of teachable moments for me.  All of the above apply and some others.  My ego pops up everywhere.  That Jesus is more importantly reflected in my actions more than my words and my words confuse my kids' faith if my actions are impatient and rude.  I've learned that my apologies are more frequent than my actions are like Jesus.  I've learned that church can be our classroom more than anywhere in the world.  That our classroom can be mobile.  Should be mobile.

I also have a rich fantasy life - that we'll somehow become independently wealthy and be able to travel all over and I'll grow dreadlocks or, more likely, shave my head (thinning hair).

I see that Ginger and Grant's relationship has changed DRAMATICALLY.  There is no longer the need to jockey for social achievement at school for Ginger, which was at many times the focal point of the day for her.  So, now there is so much more time and energy spent hanging out and playing/learning with her brother.  Grant is no longer a nuisance that she has to deal with in between school.  He is becoming an ally.  They have sleepovers in her room 4 or 5 times a week.  A few weeks after they started this, Ginger came to me and said, "Wow - Grant is so much fun to play with when I'm not being mean to him!  I've got to change."
That was a day I'll never forget.