Practice Makes Perfect Most of the Time
By Felice Gerwitz
There are challenges to motherhood. There are challenges to owning a business. When you combine the two, you can have an instant recipe for overwhelm. Or, as I’ll share… lots and lots of practice at getting to “perfect.”
Today I spent a fun hour with Cindy Rushton and her guests at an online conference, her “Ultimate Homeschool Expo.” Being a minor-celeb in the homeschool world has its ups and downs. I can still go out with my children without being mobbed for my autograph, yet sometimes the two worlds are hard to balance.
After my professional endeavor, it was back to the family.
Christina was visiting today (my substitute teacher!) and she and the kids read about the Ancient American Indians. Being an Anthropology minor, she had lots to add to the book. Of course, she was accompanied by her three little children, three and under. Add that to my own three, and it becomes a houseful!
I have four children who currently live at home…one husband (thank you, Lord), and one father, who is elderly but a fantastic cook. Did I mention that he used to own, first an Italian bakery in NY, and second an Italian Restaurant when we moved to Florida? Needless to say, the smell of garlic can be found simmering anytime after 9:30 in the morning.
Hobbies
Well, every once in a while Dad (Papa) needs to escape to my brother’s home in Winter Haven, for a visit. (Yes, it’s quieter there. Joe and Nikki have two children.) Well, since Papa has been gone the cooking has fallen on my shoulders.
My hobby is baking and I love to cook, but since Papa moved in several years ago he’s taken over my kitchen. Of course, it had to be remodeled when he moved in and we now have three ovens (okay, that was my addition, not his), a larger work surface, and a knife set that would rival any chef’s. So, since he was gone I opted for a simple dinner, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, chili, and melted cheese over chips. An American kid’s dream dinner, and one that would leave my father grumbling in Italian that in his country not even the pigs would eat that fare.
Out of Practice?
Having been out of practice I ended up overcooking the meat on the grill, forgetting to take out the burger rolls, and then the ground beef for the chili, from the freezer. No problem, I decided we needed a vegetarian version of the chili. Oh, and I melted the cheese for the chips way too early and had to heat it up several more times. Today, the kids still wouldn’t eat any of the leftover chili for lunch!
Perfection or Balance?
It does take some juggling between running a publishing business, writing several blogs, and running a consulting business for aspiring authors. When it comes to household chores, homeschooling the children, and well, cooking, something has to take a back seat! I’m not perfect nor do I strive for perfection. I do strive for balance.
Back to Normal(ish)
Nicholas my 13-year-old loves to cook and the meat would have been grilled to perfection if he had been home, but he wasn’t. Anne (10) and Michael (8) are both decent chefs and were a big help with my cooking endeavors. By the time we ate, we were all starved so no one had much to say about my rusty cooking skills. But, they did ask when Grandpa was coming home. Yes, I got the hint! I called him today and he’ll be back in a day or two. Then, things will be back to normal, (whatever that is), in the Gerwitz household. Practice makes perfect, most of the time.
About the Author
Meet Felice Gerwitz: A Devoted Homeschool Mom, Author, Publisher, and Podcast Host
A heartfelt enthusiast for education and faith, Felice Gerwitz has embarked on an incredible journey as a homeschooling mom, guided by her unyielding devotion to the Lord. Alongside her incredible husband and five wonderful children, Felice’s life is a testament to the beauty of balancing family, faith, and personal aspirations.
In 1986, Felice embarked on her homeschooling adventure, a path colored with both triumphs and challenges. Through the years, she has amassed a wealth of experience and wisdom that she eagerly shares with the world. As the founder of Media Angels, Inc., Felice has embraced her role as an educator and stepped into the shoes of an author and publisher. Her creative ventures have enriched her family’s learning journey and inspired countless others to seek alternative educational paths.
You can continue reading her story in her very personal story, One More Child, from Media Angels, Inc.
