The new school year! We had such a great family night on Monday, with each of the kids writing down goals in four key areas of their lives: academic, spiritual, physical, and relationships. They came up with some very keen aspirations! Some were: make 3 new friends from the "uncool" kids, learn to read more fluently, say 5 nice things to people each day, earn my Faith in God award, don't complain about wearing Sunday clothes, improve push-ups each month, lose 10 pounds (okay, that one was mine, of course).
We have a tight schedule for piano practice and showers here in the morning, and it ran like clockwork without any help from Mom this morning! I was so warmed to hear the water turn on at 5:50am (Lyndsay), and the piano exercises at 6:10 (Dylan). All of the kids were dressed, beds made, and scriptures on their laps ten minutes EARLY for scripture study! I was so proud, and what a great start to the day! Hearty oatmeal for breakfast, first day of school pictures, and out the door. Well, two of them.
This year I am homeschooling all three of my bigger kids. And re-routing baby Conor constantly. We had warnings and rules before we got started, and they were all raring to go. But lest you think I'm a perfect mother with perfect children, for whom everything runs perfectly....
It wasn't long before meltdown #1. And then meltdown #2 was fast on its heels. And then meltdown #3. And then meltdown #4. That was mine, and it was successful enough that there were no more meltdowns from the crew, thank you very much. I can only take so much! We all have to learn a new routine and find our place in it. The boys have had the last two years in public school, so it's been a while since all of them have been under my inadequate, but willing tutelage. Official students at the Caelum Academy. They did great work though. Dylan is reading Pinocchio, and Lyndsay The Diary of Anne Frank. Aiden is working through a fairly decent retelling of Kipling's The Jungle Book. They all wrote about their reading today, and re-wrote about their reading. They each did a math lesson and some Mind Benders, Lyndsay started Wheelock's Latin, and Aiden learned the difference between common and proper nouns. We took it fairly easy on them. Our grammar, science, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots, along with Dylan's Latin hasn't arrived yet, but stay tuned! It's going to be a great year!
Always sounds like so much fun ... well, and work ... but I'm glad to hear you've got all three of your former homeschoolers at home this year.
ReplyDeleteFirst days of school can always be fun. I have a friend who runs the Moorhouse Academy, which is a gathering place for homeschoolers. Do you know it? I think I saw the link on your page, but I can't remember. You can learn about it at her website of the same name.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, I wanted to share: I posted this on my blog today:
"Okay, I'll admit it. Anne Bradshaw over at Not Entirely British did a really good thing and I am shamelessly borrowing from her idea of spotlighting the most amazing youth in the world. I think it is incredible what she has done and the youth that are the finalists in her contest are truly amazing. If you haven't gone to her blog yet, read about them and vote, you're going to want to do that as soon as you're done reading mine, submitting a nomination and generally recognizing that I'm the greatest blogger to ever walk the earth . . . all right, all right, you don't have to do that last part. As long as it exists in my mind I'm okay with that.
Announcing the Best Husband in the World Contest -- please check out my blog today."
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, right? This contest was partially inspired by your regarding your husband that prompted Josi Kilpack's about hers.
Holy! Home Schooling? Wow. Thats a BIG JOB.
ReplyDeleteNow complaining about the back to school shopping list doesn't seem so bad.
I may use the idea you have here at the beginning of the post to have my son write down and make some personal goals this year.... hmmmm
i came over here to tell you about this greatest husband contest on candace's blog
ReplyDeletehttp://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2007/09/nominations-are-now-open.html
but i see that she beat me to it. i was (and am) so touched by what you wrote about your adam the other day in your "towering above the masses" post, that i had to come over and tell you about candace's contest, so you could enter your mate. i am glad josi told me about your post after she read my hubby post the other day because my heart was warmed to read of your story. i admire you and your guts to openly and honestly talk.
blessings to you and yours this day, kathleen
and one more thing, the meltdown portion of your post was the best part today. totally cute.
ReplyDeleteyay for your push-ups goal, too!
so impressed. it just wasn't the right timing for us this year. We will consider it again next year. This year my son's in a mixed 5th/6th grade class and is working at 6th grade level -- the school only goes to 6th grade so what will he do next year????
ReplyDeleteAs always, you are my inspiration.
ReplyDeleteJenna, I have homeschooled my children for the last 4 years and this year I have struggled internally and so I put my 4 older children in public school. This has been the hardest decision of my life. I loved reading this post. I appreciate your honesty in sharing your success and struggles. You give me hope. I look forward to the day when my children will once again be schooled at home. I hope that I can find the courage I have lost. I am so happy for you and am cheering for you and your children!
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