First Year of Homeschooling
Our First year of homeschooling is under our belt, and it was not great, not bad, it was our first year. It was chaos at times, and it was harmoniously wonderful, it was up and it was down, It was hair pulling and it was melt your heart moments. It was learning the hard way that all in one programs like SONLIGHT curriculum work great for some, and not so much for others, us being one of them. It was learning where my limits were, and learning to stay within them. We did not get out with friends like we had hoped as much as we had hoped, and I feel that my social butterfly may have suffered a little because of it. But I can't feel guilty but, build on what we know now, and really strive to get our social butterfly her social energy more so this year, We are planning on being a part of a co-op this year and got our foot in the door so to speak with that co-op the last couple weeks it was running. We hope to plant some more roots with more homeschooling families, and get out more. Now that Baby #4, baby Mouse has arrived Mommy is slowly getting back on my feet, and feeling better all the time, we can enjoy our time together as a Family of 6 in the world of Homeschooling.
3 Things that I have learned this year that will hopefully transform next year.
1.) Keep it simple. I had planned on lots of activities and lots of getting outdoors and LOTS of lessons that I planned never even were used. I got to complicated. I was that overzealous new Homeschool mom, who was gung ho to dive into all kinds of work sheet and work books. I was ready to read like a fiend, and spend hours with my kids in study...First 3 weeks...I learned to back up the truck and slow down. 6 year old little girls...some really like to read....But to read means you have to learn to read, and learn that patience is something that you need to have spades of in homeschooling, because you can. There is no major rush to be learning everything the first year that they are home. Slow down, breathe, learn together and relax. Life's to short.
2.)You own the curriculum, not the other way around. If something is not working, Don't be afraid to try something else. Think outside the box, and get those creative juices flowing. Find what makes your children tick, what do they love. We have discovered that Miss Tor Tor Loves to draw and colour. A lot more of our school work was geared around her drawings, and incorporating drawing into her language arts, and even math, and Science.
3.)Do what works Best for YOUR family. There is always this preconceived notion, that school needs to start at 9 am, and go till 3, or whatever. WE found that starting school later morning worked better for us, with babies, and sleep, and cleaning, and other factors. We really only did a couple hours of school a a day with my grade 1er. Next year we are going to be doing a little more school time, but broken up a little more. Now that we have a new baby in the house, we will just see how it rolls and if we need to change it up we will. I don't and won't feel guilty anymore if we don't get all the hours we should have got according to traditional education. We roll with what will work for us, and others opinions, although valued, might not be something we feel inclined to respond to.
We start our new year in a just a few weeks, and I am nervously optimistic about dealing with all 4 of my munchkins in our homeschool room. It will be yet another learning year, as we adjust to the newest member of our family. Homeschooling is certainly not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of self sacrifice as a mom, I don't get to do all the things I would love to do as my kids go off to school and yes, there would probably be less stress in my life if I was sending them off on the bus. However our children if they attended school would be going to our local christian school they are the first kids on the bus at 7:12 am. And the last ones off the bus at the end of the day. They would spend nearly 3 hours of their day on a Bus. I can think of a lot more things that they would enjoy and do enjoy while not on the bus. I am thankful for our situation that I can homeschool, and the sacrifice is not much of one, because I believe that raising my children is a gift, not a right or a privilege but a true blessing and answer to prayer. We choose to live on a single income, and I devote my time and energy to raising, teaching and loving on my children. The "little" years are short and before I know it they will be much more independent and I will be able to do more of the things I love and they will hopefully be able to join me, for some of it. Our second year will be as challenging if not more so from my perspective, but I am taking it one year at a time. One school day at a time.
Blessings
Mommy AK
3 Things that I have learned this year that will hopefully transform next year.
1.) Keep it simple. I had planned on lots of activities and lots of getting outdoors and LOTS of lessons that I planned never even were used. I got to complicated. I was that overzealous new Homeschool mom, who was gung ho to dive into all kinds of work sheet and work books. I was ready to read like a fiend, and spend hours with my kids in study...First 3 weeks...I learned to back up the truck and slow down. 6 year old little girls...some really like to read....But to read means you have to learn to read, and learn that patience is something that you need to have spades of in homeschooling, because you can. There is no major rush to be learning everything the first year that they are home. Slow down, breathe, learn together and relax. Life's to short.
2.)You own the curriculum, not the other way around. If something is not working, Don't be afraid to try something else. Think outside the box, and get those creative juices flowing. Find what makes your children tick, what do they love. We have discovered that Miss Tor Tor Loves to draw and colour. A lot more of our school work was geared around her drawings, and incorporating drawing into her language arts, and even math, and Science.
3.)Do what works Best for YOUR family. There is always this preconceived notion, that school needs to start at 9 am, and go till 3, or whatever. WE found that starting school later morning worked better for us, with babies, and sleep, and cleaning, and other factors. We really only did a couple hours of school a a day with my grade 1er. Next year we are going to be doing a little more school time, but broken up a little more. Now that we have a new baby in the house, we will just see how it rolls and if we need to change it up we will. I don't and won't feel guilty anymore if we don't get all the hours we should have got according to traditional education. We roll with what will work for us, and others opinions, although valued, might not be something we feel inclined to respond to.
We start our new year in a just a few weeks, and I am nervously optimistic about dealing with all 4 of my munchkins in our homeschool room. It will be yet another learning year, as we adjust to the newest member of our family. Homeschooling is certainly not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of self sacrifice as a mom, I don't get to do all the things I would love to do as my kids go off to school and yes, there would probably be less stress in my life if I was sending them off on the bus. However our children if they attended school would be going to our local christian school they are the first kids on the bus at 7:12 am. And the last ones off the bus at the end of the day. They would spend nearly 3 hours of their day on a Bus. I can think of a lot more things that they would enjoy and do enjoy while not on the bus. I am thankful for our situation that I can homeschool, and the sacrifice is not much of one, because I believe that raising my children is a gift, not a right or a privilege but a true blessing and answer to prayer. We choose to live on a single income, and I devote my time and energy to raising, teaching and loving on my children. The "little" years are short and before I know it they will be much more independent and I will be able to do more of the things I love and they will hopefully be able to join me, for some of it. Our second year will be as challenging if not more so from my perspective, but I am taking it one year at a time. One school day at a time.
Blessings
Mommy AK
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