The other day he started the day not by homeschooling, but first by checking his email. He turned to me and told me some things happening between he and the Scout leaders, about some decisions he had to make and things like that. He said, "I'm spending so much time on email. Look at all these emails from the last three weeks! I reply to their question then they come back with another question then I have to answer that, it goes on and on! Things keep changing. I can't believe this!"
My reply was, "I have been dealing with emails like that just about Scouts from the day you started first grade. I had another set of emails about your brother's Scouts. In my volunteer work with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts I had another level of emails to contend with for those positions. You had no idea what I did with my time when I was sitting at my computer doing stuff. I was doing stuff like that! Every day! Not only did I have to do all that for Scouts but for every other thing you and your brother did and do. Now you know what I go through every single day."
My son said, "Thanks, Mom, for doing all that for us. I didn't know it was so much work."
Then he stood up, walked over to me and gave me a hug.
I guess all this hard work is worth it...and maybe someday really they will see all the effort I put into parenting and homeschooling them.
Me and my older son 1/30/12