MIA

I apologize for being MIA on this blog lately. I have had a rough week and have been in "survival mode" (ever been there? It stinks!) I am pulling it together, though. :) Tomorrow we're taking a day trip to a state park with Nanna & Papa (my parents) for some much-needed R&R. It's supposed to be beautiful weather!



Homeschooling has been going well, although it's not been without bumps in the road (resulting in a few bruises to my confidence!) I hear my daughters talking on the phone with their friends from public school and saying, "I wish I could go back to Jefferson". And then I asked them the other day how they have liked it so far, and they said they thought homeschooling was boring. What is interesting is that this came from my older 2, who have been in school before. Claire, my kindergartener, thinks homeschool is fun.



This is something parents need to realize, if they are pulling their children out of a traditional school setting and homeschooling them. It is a big adjustment not only for parents but kids too. When they have been somewhere for 7-8 hours a day with activities planned for every moment, tons of resources available, and teachers whose only job at school is to BE a teacher, they get used to this type of setting. Now, our 2 hours a day homeschooling on the couch seems a little dull. You add to that MORE CHORES around the house (yes, I am making them help me more - I CAN'T do this by myself!). It's understandable why they are feeling the way they do. But I am persevering. Why? Because it is good for them. They are learning LIFE SKILLS along with academics. They are learning that school is not the most important thing in life. It is AN important thing in life but we don't devote 7 hours a day to it. We play together, we fold laundry together, we bake cupcakes, we change diapers, we play trains with little Grant. Maybe the girls don't realize yet that "school" encompasses all these things... bookwork is just a small part of it. But someday I think they will. And I am still learning the routine of things. Once we have a good rhythm, I really believe it will be more enjoyable for them. They are used to more of a schedule, since they have been in public school, and I feel the need to establish more of a schedule here at home. It is hard to do (with the nature of my home business, and with my toddler!) but we are working on it.



I've appreciated so much the encouragement of other moms and also my wonderful CO-OP (which the girls DO love!!). I've met some great moms that I click with and the girls have made some new friends. We will keep at this thing. I pray my girls will grow to love being home... it is an adjustment right now, for them as well as for me. I've tried to be sensitive to the fact that they are adjusting, and give them lots of opportunities for socializing with their friends from Jefferson.



I guess if I can offer any encouragement to first-time homeschoolers, especially those who are pulling kids out of "regular school" - expect some tough adjustments at first, but keep at it! For me, I've decided to keep pushing forward until I feel God directing me differently. For now, I feel this is where He wants us to be. I know I will not regret having the freedom & flexibility this year to take time off and be together to bond after Owen comes home. If nothings else, that is reason enough for me to continue & persevere.

Scheduling Tip

When there is a whole day of subjects to touch on, how do you combat the feeling that you are trudging slowly toward the finish line?  Parents and students, alike, have trouble staying motivated without wasting time when it seems that the tasks don't end.

Here is the tip that has helped me the most:

Establish time frames to work within, and do not go over the time limit.  If I allot 15 minutes for handwriting practice and my son finishes early, I give him the extra minutes to goof off.  Conversely, if he is still not done at the end of 15 minutes, then I consider it "home work".  Truly it's all "homework" when you homeschool, but this designation means that when we are done with everything for the day, he still has to go back and complete the unfinished assignments.  I believe it benefits my kids to know that there will be an end to the job and that there is also a reward for staying focused and finishing early.  

A timer or a clock is helpful, depending on your child's ability to tell time.  Talking about the why behind these time limits with our children helps them understand scheduling and budgeting of time ("if I stay on task now, I'll have more play time later and no homework").

Of course, if you consistently find that your child has "homework", you will want to address whether your time frame estimates are realistic, or if there are roadblocks to success in that particular subject (ie. if math takes a long time, does the child need to bone up on basic facts again?).