It was another Saturday, a day which started cold and windy. Trey was up to bat, there was a runner on first and the dugout was chanting his name, "Trey, Trey, Trey." He got in his batting stance, one he chose by watching many hours of the Braves. The first pitch came, low and outside. Everyone yelled, "Good Eye." The next pitch came and CRACK, he hit a shot to the fence. As he ran, the crowd cheered!!
As I sat for the first of three games of the day, I reflected on how much home education emulated a baseball game.
For one thing, it takes the whole team, or family, to play the game. If everyone doesn't participate, the game is most surely lost.
Also, as each person on the team comes to bat, so it is in the home school arena. Throughout the day, year and life, someone is always "at bat." At these times, they can either get a hit or strike out. Alot depends upon the support they feel from the dugout. In our daily learning, hearing words of encouragement can mean the difference between getting a single, double or maybe even a triple or striking out.
The time to prepare for a baseball game begins way before the game. The hours of practice where infielding is done over and over until it is right means the shortstop makes the routine throw to first. The practice of fly balls to the outfield means the difference between an easy out or a score by the opponent. The practice pays off when it counts. In our pursuit of education, the rote drills, learning of vocabulary rules, memorization of spelling rules all prepare us for the time when it counts. The point when all the dots are connected and a new realization is made.
The team depends upon the coach just as my children depend upon Jeff and I. They are looking at us when they get on base, so we can safely send them ahead. Sometimes the next base is easy, but other times it might require speed and courage. Yet other times, they might get out and have to start all over again. The key is to go to bat again and try harder.
And, as we lost the first game, I realized not each day will be a winner. Somedays it seems we have more to-do's than done's, but the learning has only ceased momentarily. Tomorrow it will begin again, and hopefully as we won the next two, to win the big one in the end!!
