When You Think You Can't...Yes You Can!

That is not a play-up to the first campaign strategy of our now President. It is a thought that I'd like to share with some, remind others but leave with all of my fellow homeschooling Mommies out there.

When you think you can't, yes you can!

Over a month ago, I was working on Math with Madi-girl and she, as usual wanted to challenge herself. We were coming up with 3 equations to equal the number of the day, which happens to be that day's date. For instance, tomorrow will be the 25th of February so we will write on the board, three different equations that will give us the answer of 25. Very simple: you could do 26-1 or 24+1...you get the idea.

So this particular day, she wanted to come up with a multiplication equation for that day, I think it was the 26th or something. At any rate, having not covered multiplication in math yet, I figured she wouldn't get it right but I of course, I allowed her to try. When she realized she didn't know the answer (or equation) for the number...I said to her all you have to do is 26x1=26. She said, "oh."

Then in a moment of clarity, I said to her "when you see a multiplication problem, for instance 26x1, just read it as 26, one time. How much is it if you have 26 only once?" She said 26, oh, I get it!"  When you see 3 x 2, just think, 3, two times. I asked her, if you have 3, two times, how much do you have? She said 6! We did it over and over again with different multiplication problems and with the number of the day equation that she was attempting.

Now, we still have not covered multiplication facts in math but fast forward about a month or so down the road to today...here's what happened:

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She's on her Nintendo dsi doing Brainage Math (for the first time) and I hear her over there saying, 9, one time. 2, four times. 7, two times. 5, eight times (she counted by 5 on her fingers to get this one but the gem here is that she knew how to get the answer), etc. She was getting problem after problem correct based on what I shared with her over a month ago. I could barely contain my elation.

Here's the thing, as homeschooling moms, we may sometimes feel intimidated by the task of teaching our children everything that they need to know for life. I mean, let's face it (again) this is no small feat. We are not only teaching them to behave, treat others right, share with your sibling(s), respect adults, mind your manners but add to that , reading, writing, math, history, spelling...we are taking on the whole kit and kaboodle! While at times this is exciting and exhilarating, the mere thought is just as often, exhausting.

My encouragement tonight though is to hang in there. After over hearing her get multiplication problems correct (on a timer, by the way) by using a technique that I gave her, one that I was never taught to use and had never even thought of or heard of before, proved to me that at the end of the day I AM my children's best, most capable, most interested, most effective teacher and so are YOU (for yours)! It's a fact. My experience doesn't make it a fact, it just is. You know your child better than anyone and God will anoint these moments that you have during the day and give you a moment of uncommon wisdom to share a note or thought or idea with your child(ren) that they will in turn, never forget. And that is teaching!

You are THAT teacher!