So.... How Is It Going?

"Terrific" I say because you know what? It really is. Funny, I thought this process would be one that I find that I endure but am discovering that I am actually enjoying myself. Don't get me wrong: Jenny has quite the whine, and Nate is oh so troublesome, and Ben? doesn't like to get anything wrong ("Its not my fault!!!") as for Matthew- tears and utter despair when confronted with problems he doesn't understand. BUT, overall, we do our work, they vie for attention, they all talk at once, we use our computers, we pile in the car and go shopping or playing, or to a group or a meeting or the library and.... we like it.

The planning is cumbersome but the ease of the tracking software and responsibility they take when they input their work and keep their reading logs up and schedule their days, makes it worth it. Overall, they seem to be getting along better, and are happier (most of the time). It helps that they are getting enough sleep (I rarely wake a sleeping kid for school they just lose out on free time before lessons) they are monitored closely and we solve problems quickly. The umm, negative.. influences of public schools are gone, and they need to rely on each other to help clean, work, play... this helps them bond. In fairness, they get on each other's nerves, (and my own) and bicker frequently. But overall, there has been a lot of laughter in the house.
Mostly, I feel very free (but busy busy busy). I like to be able to move things around when I want, cancel lessons and go fly a kite when the weather is perfect (something we did and it was the best homeschool day thus far- a week or so ago). I wish I did more of that actually, but I find we are going out so much I try to make them have work hard (academically) Mon-Thursday, as we have co-op on Fridays (so no math or Language Arts or grammar on those days- just Phys-Ed, Art, Music, and Science). And on Tuesday and Thursday we go to the gym in the am and so we don't even start lessons until the afternoon, that is tougher for them. Morning is so much better for book work. Mostly the problems I have are my own issues, my failings at teaching, learning the wrong way how to motivate a frustrated child, losing my temper because they are being silly. Mostly, I hope to be more creative with lessons to chow them that sometimes learning is actually fun. I know that I am learning an awful lot (hello prepositions!) and I really am, having fun..

It has been almost a year since I made a decision about this.... much different than I thought it would be, but in a good way. I hope it continues.

Where does the time go?

I have a new appreciation for working mothers.  I always knew that it would be difficult to manage everything and do all that I used to.  The reality is, you can’t. There is no possible way to put more time into the day and so, things get dropped (like housekeeping and my blog).  I had heard that I might need to adjust my expectations but am having a hard time actually doing it. Cleaning has been relegated to the weekends, and with 4 kids that makes life infinitely messier. I don’t like it but have yet to figure out how exactly to deal with it.  We are experimenting with different strategies, all involving various violations of child labor laws. 

As for blogging, I have taken a month off after promising to write more frequently and so I feel rather foolish making  another statement regarding my intentions to do better.  Suffice to say, lets try again, If I make more frequent but shorter posts, which is the goal, I may be able to find more success and not view it as a chore as I have been.  I find that I so enjoy the writing process and often feel the need to be profound that I put off and put off my writing, to try to think of the perfect post and then find the energy to compose it, that I decide it is too much effort and never blog about anything anymore.  It is so much easier to think, “ Ahh, I’m tired now , I’ll do it later.”  So, if I just try to find one thing, every day to comment on (or maybe a few times a week) then perhaps I can find the balance between brevity, interest and ease of posting.  So lets give it another go shall we?

Yes I am still alive

One month in and so much for carefully documenting each and every precious moment of my wonderful homeschooling experience.  I don’t mean to sound too cliché but I am so very very busy.   I feel as though I haven’t had much time at all to get all the things done that I am required to do, much less dither around on a self indulgent blog.  I had so hoped to record every difficulty, every frustration, each and every agonizing argument over school work, alas that has not come to pass.   Truth be told- we have been remarkable drama free.  For the most part, the kids have been on task and motivated, they have undertaken the activities and shuttling around in the van with ease (if not a wee bit too much enthusiasm as they tend to get a bit loud in the van) and for the most part I have managed to be flexible enough to roll with the inevitable changes that have derailed my carefully structured days.  In fact this week, I blew off academics two days in a row.  One was my birthday and one we just were to busy with filed trips, and gym and looking for Halloween costumes.  (We are headed off an a Halloween Camping weekend up at Jellystone Park in PA.  It is always so strange to go and get all the Trick-or-Treating done and then return home and still have weeks to go until everyone else catches up.

But we are doing surprisingly well.  I have been saying that I am actually having fun.  It seems I am repeating my experiences with parenting.  Something I figured I would have to endure and (to my delight)I find out how fun and rewarding it is.  Don't’ get me wrong, I have my moments, and evening is still tough but we are all getting along well and I think the kids are actually enjoying themselves as well.  There is less fighting and moodiness and they seem more relaxed and happier.  The honeymoon is waning and they do complain a bit more about the work but I continue to work on my flexibility and thy to remember that its OK if we change plans, drop an assignment or take a divergent path- that is why we decided to homeschool and we might as well enjoy the path we’ve chosen.  Last week a neighbor was taking down a tree so we went out on the driveway, set up chairs, and proceeded to eat lunch outside and discuss the wonders of pulleys and hydraulics, chainsaws and weight of limbs, back cuts and safety harnesses.  After the tree was all down we went over and counted rings and looked a the insect infestation.  I scrapped my other science lesson and we were all the better for it.