People have been asking me on how home-school is going. All I can do is smile. For two reasons, I feel like I am crazy for doing it so I smile because I know that’s what people are thinking and what is going through their minds as they ask that particular question and second, I continue to smile because surprisingly…I am loving it.
I had no idea what to really expect. The night before I started I didn’t sleep well. I have to be honest, the thoughts that crossed my mind as I was lying in bed the night before we began was:
-Can I do this?
-Am I going to loose my mind?
-Will my kids and I end up not wanting to be around each other after a few months?
-Am I holding them back socially?
-Will they be socially awkward because of this?
-Will they be challenged in education enough?
-Can I offer them more than what the public schools can?
And last...
-Am I being selfish to keep them home, to want to be with them, and teach them myself?
Most of these answers will come in time and already I feel good about the things I felt uneasy about. So far I have seen nothing but positive come out of this. It’s too early to tell how this will all play out. I am taking it week by week. So far it has been the most rewarding challenge I have ever taken on. I go to bed no longer wondering if I did enough with my kids that day or if I played enough with them. They grow up so fast and I am loving every minute we spend together. Because we are on an organized schedule, I haven’t had any discipline issues. Also, I think we make it fun together. They know the faster they get done the sooner they can play and go to the park or ride bikes. Thomas every day so far reminds me and says at the closing of our school day, “Mom, I love home-school, it’s the best!” That in it self tells me we are heading in the right direction.
We decorated the school room a few weeks ago and once the desk came in we jumped in feet first. They could pick out a picture of their favorite animal. Thomas choose a tiger and William chose a black panther.
Bean bag for reading time which we read together at times and then they each have their separate reading times alone on the bean bag during school. One of my most favorite times of home-school is snuggling up with them one on one and reading to them or listening to them read.
I almost turned on the wood stove it was so cold on Friday morning.
My sweet boys. All I ask is that they are dressed, hair combed, take vitamins, and teeth brushed before we start.
We start out with a family prayer and then we stand up as one of them walks the flag across the room and holds it as we recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
For
Social Studies we learned about the pledge of allegiance and the star spangled banner. They listened to this 7 year old girl sing it on
youtube. They were mesmerized with it and watched it five times. Mostly because she was their age.
VIDEO (of the picture above):
http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DId-GAzZ5u4
Lydia joins us in most activities and reading. She comes and goes through most of the morning. It made my heart twitter when we passed a large flag yesterday and she says to me in her car seat, "Mom, look...the American flag.". She would have never known that a few weeks ago. She counted five of them within a few miles and it was so exciting for her.
Math, Math, and more Math! We start each morning with math. They do about 40
mins of math and many worksheets/exercises. We then move onto Reading which takes about one hour with reading assignments, exercises, and worksheets.
Part of
Reading this day we learned about a "Balanced Diet" and all five food groups. Lydia loves being a big helper. She hung the poster up for us. I decided to expand on the topic and talk about it on the board.
Every time we sit down to eat a meal we talk about which food group we are eating and which ones we don't have on our plate. Kinda makes me realize how much
carbs we eat.
Recces, 15
mins of playtime inside or out.
Snack time, 10
mins. Hot cocoa and toast.
After snack time we do Spelling, Composition, and Poetry. This takes about an hour and a half.
Part of our
Social Studies consisted of an outside activity. We re created the dimensions of the largest battle flag ever flown over Fort
McHenery. It was 42 ft high and 30 feet wide.
Took red yarn and measured it out.
After we had the yarn in place had
Music Time. We all picked out an instrument and we marched around the perimeter and sang the star spangled banner that we are in the process of learning before December. They marched and played to the tune while I sang it. At this point I have to not care what the neighbors think, kinda of
embarrassing. But the kids love it.
We then learned about lily pads in
Science. We learned that they don't float away or move because they are connected to the bottom of the pond with roots. Also, that a frog can sit on it and stay afloat only if they are centered just right.
For
Art we made lily pads with paper plates and yarn.
Next we tested them out in the bathtub.
Lydia added the frog onto hers.
The boys had to draw the American Flag for their
social studies/art. Thomas had to do his three times. The first time he wasn't paying attention and drew it backwards and then the next time he was just lazy and sloppy. By the third time it was perfect.
Miss Lydia gets her time after the boys for 45
mins. We do
pre-school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I look forward to this time with her but after her I can't wait for my time whether it be reading in my room alone or sewing.
Lydia counting her stones over and over again.
My Boys knew he was sick and knew that his life was coming to an end. They always asked about him. Now that he has passed they wanted to go visit his burial site. So as part of Art for home-school, the kids wrote letters and drew pictures. 
William's letter
Thomas' letter
Lydia's letter
It's a hot one and Thomas had to take a break. His chain on his bike came off. That was the first time I had to ever put a chain back on it's track and I didn't even have to call Mark. Hands sure get dirty though!
Lydia placing the zip lock baggy of letters down
Lydia is a quirky child. She pulls her socks up high to protect her legs just in case she crashes on her bike.
