www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
First Mom: “I already have my hands
full with four kiddos. Can I really do this2
with a baby? Am I biting off more than
I can chew? Feeling overwhelmed and
need to know how moms who have been
in my shoes have done it . . .”
Second Mom: “Yes. You can absolutely
do this. I have been using this for ten
years . . . and started with five kiddos
under ten years old. First word of ad-
vice (which I hated when I first heard it)
is relax and be flexible . . . our literature
was done on the couch with all the kids. I
would be feeding the baby while reading,
and holding the other two at my sides,
while older kiddos sat very near me . . .
we did not do major hands-on stuff ev-
ery day . . . my oldest helped my young-
est with projects. As they grew older, I
always worked with the youngest first on
the 3 Rs . . . I did one big house chore
a day and my house never looked like
a museum, but was usually 15 minutes
from being company-ready . . . Because
my husband is military, we moved every
few years . . . I have had to endure times
of separation from my husband, so I was
like a single mom, but I was still suc-
cessful [with this curriculum] 3. . . . Our
oldest just took his pre-test for the Coast
Guard and scored exceptionally well in
most areas. I am a regular mom with no
formal training, am not super organized
. . . but my kids are living proof that God
is good and His ways are sure . . .”
Connection through
Understanding
What did you hear that is worthy of emulating as a mentor?
I heard two wise women interact who
both obviously weigh carefully how they
teach their children. I heard First Mom
cry out a real question asking for input.
Then I heard Second Mom answer that
cry with (and I am summarizing my own
reading-between-the-lines and tone), “I
have been where you are. I understand
and feel your concerns and doubts. They
are real. I had them too. But I am going
to tell you what I chose to do and how
it worked for me. Then you can combine
my experience and my answer to your
question and make your own decision.”
The first mother was wise, because she
asked for input from women who had
been down the road before her. The sec-
ond woman was wise, because she had
down-the-road experience.
However, she became a mentor because she had a heart that was willing to
share with those she was slightly ahead of
on the journey.
These two mothers connected, not
simply because of the second mother’s
past experience, or even because of her
heart to share. The connection began
when the mentoring mother communicated that she understood because she
had “five kiddos under ten years old.”
The
Unit Study
Homeschooler
Jessica Hulcy
One Mom’s Cry . . .
Another Mom’s Answer
She was looking for a regular mom like herself—not superwoman. She found both.
