Distractions-one of the most common things in a homeschooling household. It’s not an easy thing to avoid, especially when you have four very different personalities with very different interests. I think it’s become a tad bit harder as my kids get older, seeing as I have one who will be a teenager in just about four months from now, a preteen, a kindergartener, and a not-quite-home-schooled preschooler. There is quite a big age range in my family and some of my home-school days are just filled with comments like these:
“Emmy, can you go blow bubbles in the other room? Hannah can’t concentrate on her work.”
“Hannah, sit down and do your schoolwork!”
“Alyssa and Josh, stop talking to each other and do your schoolwork!”
“You don’t need a snack right now Hannah. We haven’t even gotten through one subject yet.”
“Emmy, I’ll be with you in a minute. I’m finishing up Phonics with Hannah.
“Josh, stop talking to yourself out loud! You’re distracting Alyssa! Get back to work!”
“No, Hannah, it’s not time for lunch yet. You just had breakfast. You have to finish up school first.”
“Alyssa and Josh! This is your final warning! Talk again and no electronics for the day!”
“You’re almost done Hannah. You only have a few more problems left. Then you can play.”
“Seriously Josh?! You have to go to the bathroom again?! That’s the third time in two hours!”
“Hannah, where are you? Are you down in the basement playing with Emmy again? Get back here, sit down and do your schoolwork!”
“You would have had more free time, Alyssa, had you not have spent three hours on one subject!”
“Hannah, keep doing your work. I have to take Emmy potty.”
“Ok Alyssa and Josh, no more warnings. No electronics for the rest of the day! Talk again and it’ll be a week!”
“Emmy, Hannah can’t watch what you’re doing on the iPod right now. She’s in the middle of school.”
So, as you can see, I deal with all kinds of distractions with my children’s learning every day. There are days when I’ve said every single one of those quotes in one day and then some. Some days, I deal with less distractions than other days, but nonetheless, they are inevitable with homeschooling. I wish I could say that I’ve kept my cool every time I’ve dealt with them and explained to my children in a calm manner how their actions are affecting others and other things that needed to be done. Sadly, however, I admit that I have not reacted that way; more often than not. It is something that I am trying to work on and I believe it’s something God instructs in His Word in any situation.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1
“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.” Proverbs 14:29
It is easy for me to think that kids are more prone to distractions than adults are, because of their short attention span, but I have found myself becoming more distracted lately, sometimes even when it comes to listening to that still, small voice above all others.
“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:12
Sometimes God speaks to us in a quiet voice, a whisper, but sometimes we can get caught up in the strong winds, earthquakes and fires in our lives, oblivious to hearing it amongst the chaos and noise. I know that sometimes I just need to remain still, even amongst all the noise in my life, and listen for His voice. It is very comforting when I learn to seek out God above everything else that threatens to distract and pull me away from what really matters. It is something that I am slowly learning through school time with my children, and how as a parent, it is important to instruct them to focus on what is important; in the same way that God, as our parent, also instructs us, and He does it so calmly, training us to calm our minds so we will be able to hear Him. I love how God uses something so simple as a child’s short attention span to give us insight into our own lives for spiritual growth.
From Patience to Patients 