Do you feel distracted and pulled in a million directions? Do you wonder what your sole job right now should be? 
As a homeschool mom, there are so many hats and so many different things that require my attention.  We don’t have just one job, we have several. I do my best to keep organized and on top of it all, but I know I can do so much better.  I try to give my equal attention to everything….keep the laundry going, keep the meals coming, keep the homeschool on track, show love to my husband and children, oh….and don’t forget to take a shower, eat healthy, and get quality sleep!

Book Club

I was recently watching the playback from one of Leigh Bortins’ Book Club meetings. It was a simple talk about reading to your children simple stories, poems, etc. They were showcasing the Old World Echoes book that we use to read aloud to our younger children in Classical Conversations.  It’s jam packed with simple poems, short stories, fairy tales, etc..  Short bites of reading that can be done each day. It’s a great resource!  And the book club meetings will concentrate on different books each time…more on that later…here’s the good part…..

People who attended the online book club were sharing thoughts and ideas, then Leigh said this:

“Do you go out of your way to have a literature hour (a children’s hour) where your sole job is doing what your doing now?”

Wow that just hit me.  My sole job? Doing what I’m doing RIGHT now?
I got so distracted with my thoughts that I didn’t even hear the video and had to go and pause it while I pondered.  Do you ever feel something hit you and wonder why? Why did that grab me?
I struggle with singlemindedness.  Here’s what I mean….. I’m a multi-tasker by nature. I am a starter of things, a thinker, a doer.  I HAVE to be productive in some way to feel happy and satisfied.  Rest and relaxation are VERY hard for me.  For years, when my husband asked to sit on the couch and watch a movie together, I would go and get my notebook and my pens so I could at least be doing something productive while I sat there. Crazy, right?

My sole job?

I wondered suddenly…..do my kids see that? It bothered my husband (rightfully so) because it gives off the impression that I don’t really want to be there.  That I’d rather be doing something else more important. Do my kids sense that? During our school days, I can tend to want to just get it done…..finish so I can get to the other things I am responsible for.  Not that I don’t love doing school with them.  Secretly, I wish that was ALL I had to do….but I don’t. I have a million other things. So I say “let’s finish” “hurry up”  and at the end of all that when I could sit and snuggle and read…..I read a few quick pages and I say….”we will read more tomorrow.”
“Do you go out of your way to have a literature hour where your sole job is doing what your doing now?”
I want my kids (and my husband) to feel like my time with them in that moment is my SOLE job! That it’s what I should be doing right then! That all my minutes in my day led up to this point in time with them. And honestly…..isn’t that the way it should be?  Don’t we all want to feel that way?
Maybe you do this already. Maybe I’m slow in learning this need to stop and be still.  My oldest child is 21 right now so I’m not a new mother.  Maybe I was better back then when my life was simpler. It’s not just about reading and having a reading hour….but the idea of making a moment with my children my “sole job” that I know that I could work on.  I need to make sure I am present in all things (not just reading).  And I certainly know that I don’t go “out of my way” to make those times happen EVERY day!
So that’s my confession for the day! What about you? Is this hard for others? Is it just me?
Have you found ways to make those moments special?

Have you downloaded our FREE Reading Log? IF you want to be more intentional about reading with your children, or provide a fun, visual way for your kids to keep track of their reading, try this!

FREE READING LOG  Can be found on our list of FREEBIES!  Click and download the PDF
Looking for some simple chapter books for your kids?  Read this blog post: List of Chapter Books Kids Love

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