Finding contentment with being at home--for children?

[MommyInTraining]

This was a quote from Julie on another thread. It got me thinking about how to work this out in our homeschool and I would like it if other moms could share how they help their children find contentment in being at home.

I want our home to be the place that our children WANT to be. I don't ever want them to longingly look at the school bus thinking that it can "whisk them off to some exciting adventure".

11. What "helps" may be necessary to live life joyfully as a homeschooling family? ( handicrafts/educational computer games/outdoor play things/small home library of books etc. for dc to be able to entertain themselves happily at home, etc.)

The above quote is one that I struggle with finding the answer to. I want to figure out how to make being at home a good portion of their young lives an enjoyable time for my children. I remember reading once about a person who was bashing his homeschool education. He said something to the effect of seeing the garbage truck or the mailman was the highlight of his day.

I want my children to enjoy being at home and not feel like they need to "go" somewhere to find fulfillment in their daily lives.

I would love to hear how other moms fill this need in your children. I hope to glean some wisdom from the responses !

Thank you all for your advice!

[Sheila in OK]

This is a great question, and I would love to read replies to this as well. I have one child that is just naturally more content at home. He loves playing with legos, making paper airplanes, playing with cars outside in the dirt, etc. and is just really good at entertaining himself. He groans when we have to get out to run errands.

My dd, however, is another story. She has always seemed to need a lot of outside stimulation to be satisfied. We have even considered private school for her for this reason, but she says she wants to continue to hs. Both kids are in a weekly hs coop that they both really enjoy, and we do church/SS activities, but that's about it. She is not interested in sports/dance/music or anything like that. Ironically, the more she is out and about with other kids, the more she seems to crave it. For example, when we do VBS in the summer she is more whiny/cranky than usual in the afternoons after we get home because she wants to 'see her friends.' We do discipline her for bad attitudes but I would love to help her find ways to be more content at home.

[water2wine]

Teri I am not completely sure what the answer is. I think it could be different for everyone. I have pretty happy kids if you subtract out the moments of normal kid needing a minor adjustment stuff and some issues that have come up and needed to be resolved. Over all though they are happy and I hear it a lot from others so I know it is true. They are content with hanging out at home most of the time and that is what we do. There are six and that means they always have a friend, could be part of it. True my son is the only boy but he is also the favorite of many of his sisters to play with in truth. I do not do a ton of entertainment, no video games no glitz. Legos, dolls and crafts are the main things around our place. One thing is we do focus a lot on gratitude and being thankful to God and the other is I am for the most part really happy being at home with my kids. I do a lot of reminding them how lucky we are to hs and to have a home in the first place. I think that rubs off on them. If attitudes get bad gratitude goes up around our house. It seems to really help.

Other than that having six kids I know this for sure they come cooked and done, meaning they have their own personalities. You can influence it but it is a fact. Some people are more optimistic than others and naturally tend to be more happy. You can teach an Eeyore to appreciate things more like a Tigger but you are not going to make them grow stripes. That is hard to accept I know because I have an Eeyore and she does not bounce on her tail if you know what I mean. I think I can help her to count blessings but I can't change her natural nature. I don't let her sulk on her own because I feel like it is my job to teach her a different way but I also do not take it personally if she wants to sulk if that makes sense.

Anyway just babbling but praying for contentment with being at home for your family! I think it is really a common struggle for hsers.