Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Facing Homeschooling Challenge #1: Organizing

I am not a bad organizer, I am just a wannabe organizer. I don't know why getting organized comes so  hard for me, but it does. I am good at it, but I want to organize like I want to pick up a cobra and kiss it on the lips. I'm afraid of it.
I struggle with fear of organization in everything from balancing my checkbook, to putting my clothes in order, to homeschooling and scheduling.
Then there are days that I have the choice to drown in my lack of order, or put on my big girl panties and kiss the snake.

There have been times I have drownd in my chaos. For years following our evacuation from New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina, I could not balance my checkbook. Actually, I have only in the last year begun to keep track of our money again. It is a good feeling to know how much we have, but overcoming that fear was extremely difficult for me.

But most times, I do what I fear most and get it done. Today was one of those days. For the last couple of weeks I have been evaluating our homeschooled life and how it can be improved. And now I am facing homeschool challenge #1; organization.

I worked hard today on getting our new books out and getting reading books in order. I worked hard on putting our schoolroom into workable order, so that when I face my upcoming challenge, scheduling, I can have a good grip on what I have access to.
I bought some bookcases over the weekend at a garage sale, put all the kids books on it, and started over on the decorating of the school room. However, this is where I fail miserably. I don't arrange furniture or pictures well at all. I have great taste in style, but I'm lousy at putting it all together.

One of the ways I am overcoming my fears and getting done what needs to be done, is to ask for help. I have a friend who is a gifted organizer and decorator. I have asked her to come and help me put my school room in a functional and stylish order. I want it to be a place that we enjoy. I want it to be calm and restful and inspiring. I want it to be a place that we all love to be, not avoid altogether.

Surprise! I kissed my cobra, and I did not fall over dead. It smiled back at me. I feel more at peace knowing the schoolroom is ready for learning and I am ready to face challenge #2 and put our family back on a working schedule.