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In Which I Wonder...Am I Doing It Wrong?

Things are going so well on the homeschool front, I can't help but think...am I doing something wrong? Not enough? Too much? I actually spent about 45 minutes today agonizing over a spelling program that is working fine but doesn't feel as cool as this other one I was considering. Ultimately I remembered that the program she is doing is perfectly respectable and not adding any stress to our work day so let's go ahead and keep it and maybe next year go in the different direction if I still want to. But seriously...45 minutes! 

Is there not enough real drama in life to keep me busy that I must over analyze the program we have just started working through? Sheesh!

We have been in school for about 65 days. We started co-op and Discovery Clubs at church. Brooklyn is in ballet, and most recently started rehearsals for a Christmas show and one of the local venues. We have a good routine going and have exercised our flexibility options without everything flying off the rails. All three kids are sleeping well (thankful for the routines!). We had a brush with the cold that took us out of commission for a pretty solid week, but everyone has mostly bounced back (fall allergies are throwing me for a bit of a loop, but it is mostly only a bother at night). 

Preschool is fun and going so much better than I had hoped! I was excited to get started, but a little nervous too. I had this little voice in the back of my head reminding me of every stressful craft experience I have ever had telling me over and over that it was going to be really important to schedule every second of the day or they would run rampant through the house and that this block of time I have dedicated to preschool was going to prove to be overwhelming and burn me out. But honestly, it's just been fun. Things aren't perfect. Some crafts are more fun than others and the three year old's attention spans are short! But Grayson is thriving! He has grown so much and it is amazing to watch his understanding blossom! 

Brooklyn is doing really well too. She is working more independently this year and I am starting to see improvement in her compositions. With her Christmas show starting, the holidays in general, and couple of auditions in the pipeline I know our work ethic and routines are vulnerable. But I also look at our schedule and feel confident that I have a good handle on when to push her and when to back off. 

So, am I doing something wrong? I don't think so. But that's the thing about farming. You plant the seeds, but you don't really know if your efforts are worth anything until you start seeing fruit. Which is why my answer, when someone says they could never homeschool is, sure you can, if you want to. It just takes a lot of trust. Even when things are going well. 

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