We were finishing the last chapter of "The House at Pooh Corner" today. Well, it is an, um, emotional time of month for me, (if you get what I am saying), and I choked up and started crying on the last page. Just got me in the heart, ya know? Anyways, my Emmy comes over and rubs my face. "That's okay, mom, I forgot most of the beginning stories, so we can always go back and reread them!" She understands just how special Important Books can be.
<3
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Spot on!
Saw this on The Libertarian Homeschooler's facebook page as a status update and I had to share, because this THIS is EXACTLY what we have been experiencing here:
What's the hardest thing about homeschooling?
The first twelve months.
Why?
1. You come face to face with how impatient/bossy/angry/
2. You get to grapple with how much others' opinions of you matter to you.
3. You may get a really unpleasant look at exactly how your child's behavior/accomplishments/
4. Your children's needs may feel overwhelming because other people have been meeting many of them up to now.
5. You may want to have "me time", but they're always there.
6. You may come to realize that you don't really know your children as well as you thought and that you don't yet like one another well enough to spend all-day-every-day together. It takes time.
7. The gaps and gaping maws in your own education become terribly obvious. And they make you feel incompetent.
8. You realize that you know a lot about schooling and not a lot about education.
9. You are LIVING in your house and it's not only not House Beautiful, it's not even House Reasonably Tidy.
10. You realize that you are now responsible for things you had previously not even thought about. Surprise!
11. You may find that your children don't like curriculum, wipe out at about mid-November and say they hate it in mid-January. This is confounding. And scary.
12. Having been forced to input information and skills they have no interest in, your children may begin fighting with you. And you may begin fighting with your spouse. So there's that.
13. Everyone homeschooling around you seems to be doing just great (they're probably not) and you're feeling like you're doing it all wrong (you're probably not).
14. Your specter of your childhood will probably rise up with regularity and ask you to dance a really unpleasant dance with your growing understanding of how you want to raise your children.
15. You're probably budgeting like a maniac because you've gone from two incomes to one. And co-op is spendy and so are museums. Which, who didn't want That stress?
16. Your friends are sending their kids to school and they get to do things during the day that are not only out of your schedule's reach but out of your budget's reach as well.
17. There's a lot more cooking and cleaning and laundry than you had anticipated with everyone at home.
Now that's a party right there, Buttercup. Can you imagine the advertising campaign for that? I'm trying to figure out if it would feature zombies or a person going through an old-timey washing machine wringer. Woo-hoo! Sign me up!
The first year of homeschooling is like the first year of marriage or the first year with the firstborn. It's a sea change. You can fight it or you can roll with it. Go with your instincts or listen to your fears. It is almost impossible to feel June Cleaver happy the first year. Acknowledge you're doing a lot of personal growth and relationship growth and family growth and intellectual growth. That's fantastically important. And that's plenty. Believe me. In fact, that's probably more than enough. If you figure out anything about learning that first year, well that's just gravy.
And the next year is easier.
What's the hardest thing about homeschooling?
The first twelve months.
Why?
1. You come face to face with how impatient/bossy/angry/
2. You get to grapple with how much others' opinions of you matter to you.
3. You may get a really unpleasant look at exactly how your child's behavior/accomplishments/
4. Your children's needs may feel overwhelming because other people have been meeting many of them up to now.
5. You may want to have "me time", but they're always there.
6. You may come to realize that you don't really know your children as well as you thought and that you don't yet like one another well enough to spend all-day-every-day together. It takes time.
7. The gaps and gaping maws in your own education become terribly obvious. And they make you feel incompetent.
8. You realize that you know a lot about schooling and not a lot about education.
9. You are LIVING in your house and it's not only not House Beautiful, it's not even House Reasonably Tidy.
10. You realize that you are now responsible for things you had previously not even thought about. Surprise!
11. You may find that your children don't like curriculum, wipe out at about mid-November and say they hate it in mid-January. This is confounding. And scary.
12. Having been forced to input information and skills they have no interest in, your children may begin fighting with you. And you may begin fighting with your spouse. So there's that.
13. Everyone homeschooling around you seems to be doing just great (they're probably not) and you're feeling like you're doing it all wrong (you're probably not).
14. Your specter of your childhood will probably rise up with regularity and ask you to dance a really unpleasant dance with your growing understanding of how you want to raise your children.
15. You're probably budgeting like a maniac because you've gone from two incomes to one. And co-op is spendy and so are museums. Which, who didn't want That stress?
16. Your friends are sending their kids to school and they get to do things during the day that are not only out of your schedule's reach but out of your budget's reach as well.
17. There's a lot more cooking and cleaning and laundry than you had anticipated with everyone at home.
Now that's a party right there, Buttercup. Can you imagine the advertising campaign for that? I'm trying to figure out if it would feature zombies or a person going through an old-timey washing machine wringer. Woo-hoo! Sign me up!
The first year of homeschooling is like the first year of marriage or the first year with the firstborn. It's a sea change. You can fight it or you can roll with it. Go with your instincts or listen to your fears. It is almost impossible to feel June Cleaver happy the first year. Acknowledge you're doing a lot of personal growth and relationship growth and family growth and intellectual growth. That's fantastically important. And that's plenty. Believe me. In fact, that's probably more than enough. If you figure out anything about learning that first year, well that's just gravy.
And the next year is easier.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Lessons...for the "teacher"
Well, we survived the first week of official homeschooling and I have learned a lot about myself. First, I 100% believe in the Montessori philosophy (along with others), but found in reality, I am not that way! I was feeling very "get this done" instead of focusing on the lesson and the journey and the LOVE of learning it. (I guess I AM more Type A then I thought...). I think because she is bright and articulate that I expect her to be 10 years old and wasn't giving her the tools she needed, and then would get frustrated with her if she grew antcy, bored, or frustrated herself. SO after 2 days that were okay but left me feeling sort of "iffy", I had to remind myself that she is indeed 6 years old. That the reason I am homeschooling was to "follow the child" and not have her be rushed through a curriculum. (Thank goodness for social media support groups and a huband with a listening ear - which is usually how I come upon these "epiphanies" of mine). On a subconscious level, I think I feel I have something to prove because I am new at this, and all of my family and friends now have eyes on me, and her, to watch and compare our progress. Now, in reality, I don't *think* that way, but clearly it is underlying. Anyways, I felt better admitting that and thinking it through; and subsequently, Friday was better. Still a long way to go, and honestly, the work is within my self. And my challenge is to not kill the joy while I am on that journey. She really likes learning and I want to foster that. It was just so surprising to find myself a complete 180 from what my philosophy of learning and education is!!! I really think I like this, though, so I will continue to work on my personal improvement. I was also worried about retention, as she is more about quantity or going on to the next thing, than actual quality. She tends to rush ahead. I realize this is the age, but it drives me nuts. But, this weekend we were driving along and we talked about parts of our lesson as it came up naturally during our chat, and another time she was making these connections in random conversations that clearly showed she had understood and was "making it hers". So cool! And total confirmation for me, which I guess I did need. I really have to etch that into my memory, this isn't the first time things like this happen, but somehow I seem to lose faith and forget - she is such a sponge! She is excited and I don't want to kill her spark. It is one of the things I really love about her, as much as it can drive my batty sometimes. Mostly, I need to chill the heck out!!!
SO, here's to a new week. One of being relaxed, having fun, still "getting it done" but on our own agenda - not just *mine*. As a side note, so far, I LOVE all of the curriculum I have chosen, from cursive, to Classical Ca"tholic Memory work, her phonics/reading program, math, and our main curriculum, Moving Beyond the Page. I think she does too, because she regularly says, "that was fun!" I have pictures to share of our first completed project soon. For now, I needed to unload.
SO, here's to a new week. One of being relaxed, having fun, still "getting it done" but on our own agenda - not just *mine*. As a side note, so far, I LOVE all of the curriculum I have chosen, from cursive, to Classical Ca"tholic Memory work, her phonics/reading program, math, and our main curriculum, Moving Beyond the Page. I think she does too, because she regularly says, "that was fun!" I have pictures to share of our first completed project soon. For now, I needed to unload.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Where has the time gone?
I can't believe summer will be drawing to a close in the next couple weeks! Time has certainly been on fast forward! We have camped and traveled and had some lovely moments together. Next week Emily has Bible school while I attempt to get organized. We will finish up some summer work, celebrate my birthday, and a have a few friend get-togethers. Not quite sure when our "official" fall start date will be, but I will keep you posted. Until then, squeeze every last bit of summer out and enjoy the heck out of it!
Inspiration
Check out our new painting, which was done by a local artist, and is now proudly hanging in our home school:
Isn't it beautiful?!?
Isn't it beautiful?!?
Monday, June 17, 2013
Am I crazy?!?
Well, after our crazy busy loooooong weekend, and requisite loooooong recovery period, we took the weekend off and began Roots & Wings Academy today.
How was our first day of homeschool you ask? Well, I had 2 whiny children and I had a lot of "other" stuff on my to-do list. (No not ideal and certainly not planned, but stuff that had to be done nonetheless.) It led me to question my sanity in this decision many times. It started off great (and "on track"), and then went downhill from there. Thankfully, after a mini-meltdown, we got it together and had a nice afternoon. Emily kept asking me, "Is this what it is going to be like?" I have no idea what she is expecting and I don't think she does either. This looming "HOMESCHOOL" cloud is over her, and in reality, it looks just like her normal life but we add in activities and she doesn't go to another place for school. Oliver is at a challenging age, so I need to be proactive in the fall with his activities and allow him to "help" us when he can.
Overall a good learning experience for me, not the hearts and flowers I wanted, but lessons that need to be done, and ones that will probably be had over and over and over again. I worry I am too controlling and my standards are too high, but I need to be gentle with her and myself. Flexibility will be key, and not being afraid to take a "time out" if needed. Other great points in this article, that kept coming into my head at multiple points during the day.
And we will try again tomorrow. It isn't perfect, but it is ours. We will get there, wherever that is. We took the first step, it is only the beginning and we will grow with each other. Just, in the meantime, keep us in your prayers!!!
How was our first day of homeschool you ask? Well, I had 2 whiny children and I had a lot of "other" stuff on my to-do list. (No not ideal and certainly not planned, but stuff that had to be done nonetheless.) It led me to question my sanity in this decision many times. It started off great (and "on track"), and then went downhill from there. Thankfully, after a mini-meltdown, we got it together and had a nice afternoon. Emily kept asking me, "Is this what it is going to be like?" I have no idea what she is expecting and I don't think she does either. This looming "HOMESCHOOL" cloud is over her, and in reality, it looks just like her normal life but we add in activities and she doesn't go to another place for school. Oliver is at a challenging age, so I need to be proactive in the fall with his activities and allow him to "help" us when he can.
Overall a good learning experience for me, not the hearts and flowers I wanted, but lessons that need to be done, and ones that will probably be had over and over and over again. I worry I am too controlling and my standards are too high, but I need to be gentle with her and myself. Flexibility will be key, and not being afraid to take a "time out" if needed. Other great points in this article, that kept coming into my head at multiple points during the day.
And we will try again tomorrow. It isn't perfect, but it is ours. We will get there, wherever that is. We took the first step, it is only the beginning and we will grow with each other. Just, in the meantime, keep us in your prayers!!!
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