I hate to admit this because you may doubt anything I write again but Wikipedia states that the number three is rich with meaning.
- Pythagoras said that 3 was the noblest of all digits.
- It is the first prime number.
- It is the Holy Trinity in Christianity.
- A hat-trick! (when a player scores 3 times in a game)
- You always count to 3 in group activities where everyone must act together. 1!- 2!- 3!
- Also, On your Mark! Get Set! Go! (3 steps)
- There's the 3 Bears! 3 Little Pigs! 3 Blind Mice! And that black sheep had 3 bags of wool!
I have survived James turning seven. He still wants hugs. He says, "Love on me Mommy". That is a good sign that things are not going to drastically change as I feared. I also got a goodly amount of hope and confirmation that three is, in fact, a magic number. I scoured the internet for information about homeschooling one and I came across a blog with a link to a book that two moms of one wrote. It's super short and easy to read and I would have paid double the price to download it to my Kindle.
The beginning of the book made me cry. A beautiful oak tree stood in the middle of a field. It was perfectly symmetrical (like the one on the cover of the book). It grew that way because it had nothing to compete with. That oak tree was able to grow unobstructed in the fertile soil. Like an only child. Yeah, I cried. I needed to know that having one and always wanting more was not the end of the world. And although my prayers have not been answered how I had hoped, I know that there is a reason and a purpose for my life the way it is. I am blessed to have one. I am a mom because of him. I am grateful.
The book gave some great information on how to homeschool that one child. The pros and cons. And it broke down the myths of only children. All those negative ones like "they don't share well" or "they are spoiled children". That is not the case. Only children are not destined to be horrible adults. The best part of the book? The part where the only children that these moms write about give their say. That's right! You get a child's perspective and it's wonderful and heartwarming.
As I gear up for a new homeschool year, I am refocusing some priorities regarding time with friends and other social activities. As the mom of one, we have great flexibility to get up and go when one of our large family friends calls with an invitation to the park or the museum or whatever. And I am prepared make our home a place that kids can have play dates (with plenty of kid-approved snacks).
So, if you are the mom of one or you know a family of 3, this book is awesome. Pass it on!
