What we have done so far!

I have neglected this blog!  Not on purpose. Life has just been busy. The last time I posted it was about Unschooling. I would like to update you on that!

Since we have started school we have moved to the DFW area.  We are now living with my parents. I do not have as much control over when the TV is on or off anymore and because we are sharing a living space our day looks a lot different than what I had first hoped. The good news? We have adjusted well!

Our day starts with the kids playing outside, or legos, or some other fun playtime.  At this time I wake up!  The good thing about having grandparents in the house is that I can sleep in a bit! I wake up, check email, facebook and blogs. We start school about 9 am.

We always start with Bible (Sonlight). The kids and I enjoy memorizing Scripture, praying and talking about the story or lesson.  This Sonlight curriculum has a lot of read-alouds! So I have incorporated drawing or painting of the Bible lesson into our morning while I read the, sometimes endless, pages.

Then we go on to History, Geography (sonlight), and then science.  We started the year with Apologia but I quickly realized that this was not a good fit for our family.  So we are switching (as of January) to unit studies. We just read a fun story "Owls in the Family" and the kids wanted to learn more about owls so we are working on a lapbook about owls.

Then it is time for individual work. Ellie is still very dependent on me for most of her work. So Jackson usually starts with math. I only help when it is a new concept or if he is confused. This leaves me time to work with Ellie.  She is really not getting math.  I noticed recently that she is relying on me to tell her the answers. So we have started over.  We are taking it very slowly. Today was the first day I saw the light bulb turn on.  She is starting to understand the concept of adding.  We will most likely do Kindergarten math again later in the semester. For now we are sticking with some little books that are meant to reinforce addition and other basic concepts.

I also like to take this time to help Charlotte. She only gives me about 10 minutes max!  She loves to play Sound-o Bingo, which is bingo with only letters and their sounds.  She also loves playing cards. Ellie joins in too.

Ellie reads to me and works on other LA and is usually done well before lunch. Then she is off to play with her sister!

Jackson and I work on ELA together and then he is working on an additional geography program that is based on the US.

That is it!  Oh, we have just started Health too.  Like just started today! So I don't know how that will go yet,

The unschooling has not really happened like I wanted but I feel a lot less pressure this year than I have in years past. We have had a lot of big life changes since October including: a move, Troy out of work for 2 months, 2 deaths, and me having to be the full time caregiver for my father. I have learned to let a lot of things go. My kids are benefiting from that.

All-in-all, it has been a good year!

Unschooling

Did I get your attention?

We have been homeschooling for 3 years now.  Already we are looking into year 4.  Jackson will be in the 4th grade, Ellie will be in 1st and dear Charlotte will be only 4 years old (I don't believe in homeschooling that young but we do have some fun activities planned). I have actually purchased all of our curriculum.  We are doing a variety of things.

There is a giant box in my living room full of books. Some are for reading some are text books and some are teacher's books.  This big box is starting to feel daunting.  I don't know if I can do ALL of that next year!  We live a very busy life and the thought of getting behind is overwhelming!! 

I have been scoping the blogs and have come across several unschoolers.  Here is a quick definition: Unschooling is when you don't necessarily have a structured "school environment".  Children are free to learn through play and exploration.  Some extreme unschoolers wait for their kids to ask to learn.

I am not on board with the extreme scenario of unschoolers but I have been thinking that maybe, just maybe this could be for us.  Jackson HATES sitting at the table with a text book and hours of writing and reading.  The boy is smart, he just wants to move around. Why not let him have that freedom? We already take more time for breaks than we do for learning.  In the meantime he is outside exploring, playing legos and now...wait for it....reading! All of these "breaks" include some kind of learning.

So how can I incorporate this with out school day?

I am thinking.  I still want to use that big box but I also want to not feel tied down to that big box. So one idea that I am working on is "Unschooling Boxes".  These will be little boxes (or baskets) with different items like crayons, lego, magnifying glasses, paper, pens etc.  The kids will always have access to them and will be able to work on them whenever they want.  The catch? There will be no more TV and video games!!  I am so excited to try this.  I will have to blog about it and let you all know how it goes!! :)

Just a little update!

Wow!  I have been gone a while! I am sorry about that.  It is not on purpose.  I just never can seem to find the time to post something that I think you all want to really read!!


So what is going on here? I am working and loving it.  It has been an adjustment to say the least but the kids and are getting the hang of it.  I had a hysterectomy last week.  I am recovering well.  I am hoping to go back to work next week. 

Jackson is doing well.  We are struggling with some heart issues.  He is at an age where he obsesses over things.  We are trying to teach him about false gods.  About allowing something to consume your mind so much that your focus is taken off of the Lord.  This is something that both Troy and I struggle with too.  We are not perfect but if we were then what would be the point?!

Ellie is still Ellie.  She is excelling in her schoolwork and is reading really well.  I am so proud of her.  She is super sensitive and I am still working on my own responses to her. I don't get her sometimes.  Remembering that this a gift that God has given her helps me to be more compassionate with her. She loves going to work with me.  She LOVES art.  She loves her teachers. 

Char is Char! She is a mess.  She is super bright and witty.  Because of this I am constantly laughing at her antics.  She is a mess and we love her for it!  Her outfit of choice is Minnie Mouse pajamas and to be honest I think that is a GREAT choice!

Troy is employed but looking for a new job. He has an interview today! Yay! We are praying it is better pay and a place where he is appreciated.  We want him to have a fun job!

I want to be a mermaid

We have been really busy.  I am rarely home anymore and at times I think it is taking a toll on the kids.  But then there are those times that they act like Goofy Goobers!

While at work Char came up to me with a head of wet hair.

Me-Shocked "Char! Why is your hair all wet?"
Char- As plain as can be without any incedents... "I want to be a mermaid, Mom.".

Well, there you go! We all had a good laugh and I let her run off and finish playing.  It is the little moments! Right?

Silence

My house is quiet.  Too quiet.  There is no laughter, no yelling, no screaming, no stomping on the laminate floor. It is quiet.  Why? you ask. My kids are at Grammy and Popsy's house! A few weeks ago when Mom called to see if we would come there for Thanksgiving she also asked if they could take the kids a few days earlier.  All 3!!!  This has never been done before.  So yesterday I met my dad halfway between here and there and dropped the kids with him.  The ride home was nice and quiet.  Once I was able to get home and be still it was too quiet.  I almost couldn't stand it.  This morning I have been very productive.  I miss the kids but I am enjoying the silence. We will see how the rest of the week goes.

Learning to read..take 2!

Two years ago I started teaching Jackson to read.  The experience was traumatic to say the least! There was a lot of crying and yelling.  From both of us.  So when Ellie started showing signs of readiness I was a little nervous.  Ellie's personality is nothing like Jackson's.  I knew that it would be different.  I was just worried that I might make the same mistakes as before. 

We have taken this whole entire process very slow.  She has finally started to express frustration because she cannot read.  One of her good friends is an excellent reader.  This frustrates her.  I have been preparing her for reading since June.  That is when I formally started teaching her letters and sounds.  The reason why I waited is because I wanted to make sure she got it.  A lot of times letters and numbers are taught at a very early age and I don't think kids really get them.  I think they memorize but then don't know how to apply them.  This is one of the problems that Jackson had.  Anyway, I started with just teaching her letters and sounds.  We worked and worked on them until I felt she was ready for the next step.  Last week we took the plunge.  We have officially started SSR&W.

It is not as easy as she had thought.  We are learning to blend letters like "b-a". Today she was very frustrated.  She really just wanted to read a book.  So today was not as easy as she had hoped.  I on the other hand knew it would not be so I was able to remain calm when she got upset.  I know she will get it.  Jackson did and he was hard for me!

Thankful Part 3...

It is time to talk about the third child. My sweet sweet Charlotte Grace.  When she was a newborn I would sing "Charlotte Grace with a pretty face".  She is beautiful.  She has to be for all the trouble she gets into. 

She gets into everything!  She cannot sit still.  She loves to torture, I mean, love the kittens.  She is constantly watching them. She has a song for EVERYTHING!  She turns a simple task into a song.  She loves to hold out the last note as long as she can. "I am brushing my teeeeeeeeeeeef". She loves to work on her own schoolwork.  She has amazing fine and gross motor skills.  I noticed it when she turned two but more recently I have had several people comment on them.  She is a "lefty". The only one in the family that I know of.

Have you seen the movie "Up"?  The part where the dog is talking and then is quickly sidetracked by the "SQUIRREL!".  We lovingly refer to that movie when talking about Char.  She is easily distracted and still struggles with one step tasks.  She will get it one day. 

Even with how busy she is, Charlotte still loves to cuddle.  She is the most still of them all when it comes to "snuggles".  She finds a good spot in your lap and then makes that unmistakable clicking sound with her tongue as she loves on her sheepy. 

I love you Charlotte Grace!