Joy — it’s such a teeeeny little word. Why is it so hard sometimes?!

Joy is something I want our homeschool days to be full of. I want to be full of joy. I want my children to experience the joy of learning. — I’m not overlooking the fact that there will be very UNjoyful moments, but I want to do my best to put the JOY into our day.

To do that… that means that *I* need to be joyful.

Me.

And if you asked me, outside of school, if I enjoy homeschooling I’d say “yes.” If you asked if I find joy in it, I’d still probably say “yes.” Or at least respond with a “most of the time.” But the truth is that *IN* the regular daily moments of schooling.. I find it hard to hold on to the joy. I get worn down by the interruptions, talking out of turn, not listening to directions, whining and bickering, complaining and dawdling. I get frustrated when I feel like they’re dragging their feet and dwelling in bad attitudes and make school work even more UNenjoyable than it has to be. I feel let down with I’m trying to get to a story or a craft or a project and the squabbling and the not following directions is sucking all the joy out of it.

The tediousness that is parenting sometimes sucks away my joy like a black hole.

But the truth is… I let it.

And there’s really only ONE source of true joy. And it isn’t found in obedient children, perfect crafts or excellent homework. It doesn’t only exist when the conditions are right. In fact, most of the time we mistake joyfulness for happiness. I can maintain a modicum of joy in my life even when I am not pleased or happy with the current circumstances. Actually, I can maintain joy DESPITE being very unhappy with the way my child is behaving in a certain moment.

But I have to first be filled. No, I have to daily be filled. And that’s the ticket. And then my joy can overflow and spread to my children because our attitude is contagious. We are the thermostats of our home, we mothers and wives and hometeachers. We set the atmosphere. And we can teach our children the difference between happiness and joy for themselves. If I keep looking to be filled with joy by the things around me, I’m going to keep getting disappointed, my well is going to keep running dry. If my joy overflows from being filled with the joy of Christ, it will never run dry.

Do I enjoy homeschooling? YES.

ALL the time? NO.. but I’m working on it. 😉

~

This post is a part of the ABC’s of Homeschooling by Dawn @ 5 Kids and a Dog.

You can read all of my ABC posts here:

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Amber

Hey, y’all! I’m Amber and I wear many hats. I drink a ton of coffee and I’m constantly sweeping crumbs off the floor. After 20+ years of homeschooling, we are starting over at preschool with our fourth, Lil Miss Mouse. She keeps us young and she’s the main reason for my excessive coffee consumption. Drink up!