Update!! A New Curriculum

Now that I am finished with my college classes, and life has slowed ( ha!) for a brief moment, I am catching up and planning, planning, planning.

 I had a mild mommy freak out the other day. In our school at home we do not have a set curriculum that we use. I print things off, I have them do computer works, we read books and that is about it. No set work books, no online class they attend, and not a whole lot of structure. So, I went online and researched buying a curriculum. --------I abandoned the idea quickly when I learned that the few sets I liked and considered purchasing would cost over $2000 for my kidos. Um, no. I value their education, but I think it can be done a lot more frugally.
 My next adventure, creating my own curriculum for each child. I have discovered half.com where I can buy various work books and study guides for as low as 0.75  and re sell them back if I choose. I can cherry pick what I want my children to learn and how I want them to learn it. The best part, I can customize the plans for each one of my children. If one child learns more visually, cool, not a problem! If another child learns by reading, great! I plan to work on it over the summer, and let the kidos finish up what I have planned out for the next two months, and hopefully I will have most of m curriculum planned and ready by September!

Innovation!

This past week, I have been sick. Not like a little sniffle, cough, feeling yuck sick... I have been SICK. Like, can't move from the bed, fever, terrible aches pains and ailments, I think I am going to die, SICK. While this has been happening, not a whole lot of anything else has been happening.. like school work.
 While I am not totally feeling better, I am on the mend. So, today, I made packets. A varied amount of assignments for each child, divided into one week at a time. So far I have 4 weeks done. I slip them into their boxes Sunday night and they are set for the week. Monday- we plan and do group work, then Tuesday -Thursday is individual time with me with each child, then Friday is group work again. I think this will be great!

Anyone Else?

I think the biggest struggle I have had over the past 2 years is dealing with the fact that I have to tote my kidos with me all the time. church functions, lunches out with friends, meetings, they are always there. I get a bit of anxiety from it all at times, because I am constantly dealing with 4 children while maintaining my adult duties. Anyone else have a hard time coping with this all? So far, I have found that if I come prepared with toys, activities and reading the children stay pretty occupied. I also make sure that I get out and about by myself here and there throughout the week to keep my sanity!

Step Back

This being only my 2nd year homeschooing, I still question myself, more than I would like. I also find that I have to prove myself to anyone who questions or inquires about my decision to homeschool. It is easy to try and keep with public school standards. Some examples are : reading levels, math levels, hand writing abilities and so on. I find myself from time to time worrying if everyone is where they should be for their grade level. Then I take a step back. I started homeschooling so my children could learn at their own pace. There are some things they will excel quickly in and some things they will struggle with. It is all a process and why we do the things we do.

Year Round

We are trying a year round schedule this year. I am interested in seeing how it works for our family. The beauty of making your own schedule is just divine!

Here is a glance of my plan:

January, February, March-  School schedule

April- School Break- Except for family projects

May, June, July- School schedule

August-School Break- Except family projects

September, October, November- School schedule

December- School Break - Except family projects.


I don't know about you, but we burn out after a while and our school schedule slacks a bit, and we dwindle off into the land of chaos. I am thinking with a month break here and there, it will help us and give us time to rejuvenate.

Multiple Children

One of the largest obstacles I have found in homeschooling, is trying to manage teaching three different children -three different levels of varied subjects. I was always running, answering 20 million questions at one time and burnt out very quickly. It took me about a year to realize... I need to schedule differently.

We started making a weekly schedule for about everything. From cleaning to one on one time for learning, it works great!!! Mondays- we have combined work, group projects and planning  Tuesdays- My middle boy has one on one time with me   Wednesday -- the youngest boy works with me  Thursday-- My eldest boy works with me   Friday is a combined day again.  I fill their cubbies with work for the week, and when I am working with someone else, the others work on their other projects or do computer work.

It works like a charm!!

Fun Stuff!

Sometimes, you just need to laugh about your life and how others view you.