Skip to main content

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. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dear Grayson,

As I write this, you are about 18" long and 3.2 lbs. About the size of a head of lettuce.  We have approximately 8 weeks and 5 days to go before your scheduled debut.  But here's the fun of it. Daddy and I are planning a C-section, which is traditionally scheduled about a week before the due date. That makes the countdown 7 weeks.  Now we are also dealing with some blood pressure issues, and the doctors are just hoping to get us as far along as we can. The family is starting to take bets on when you will be born. Here is what's going on... Mommy's blood pressure is high.  It's staying around 140/80.  Since the first of the year, the doctors have had me on modified bed rest, meaning that I could get up and do a little around the house, but need to take it easy.  No going to work or hard partying ;0) It really hasn't been so bad. The first week I was able to do some work from home, which kept me busy.  Then last week Atlanta had a tremendous winter storm and

A Day in Jaime's Homeschool (ages 10, 6, and 4)

Our days in this season of life follow a very relaxed structure. Each day has such very different demands. While I would prefer to go with the flow, whatever that may be, my kids prefer a more defined plan. They like to know what to expect at any given moment. So our daily rhythm falls somewhere between these two extremes.  My day starts between 6:30 and 7:00 AM with coffee and my Bible. I love connecting through Hello Mornings because of its grace based approach to starting my day in submission to the Lord. Through accountability, community, and Bible study I get that flexible structure I need - a big theme in my life right now! My "early riser" (the four year old) will often join me on the couch while I read. My husband makes breakfast while I enjoy a second cup of coffee and supervise morning chores. By 9 AM he is out the door to work (except when he's not...because that would be too easy.) At this point I give my kids a warning that we will start our school day at 9

29 Reasons Why I Love James Raymond Hilton on this...the day of his birth!

1. He makes me laugh. 2. He lets me cry. 3. If it's important to me, it's important to him. 4. He put aside his professional aspirations to provide for our family. 5. He is Brooklyn's daddy. 6. He is Grayson's daddy. 7. He is humble. 8. He has a beautiful voice. 9. He uses his beautiful voice to glorify the Lord. 10. He got hooked on Brothers and Sisters and Psych while I was on bed rest, and let me talk about them like they were important events of my day. 11. His love of music, film, and television has broadend my horizons. 12. He dreams with me. 13. He trusts and supports my decisions. 14. He has a great eye for design (he's ARTISTIC...not that other thing!!) 15. He respects and loves my family. 16. He loves his family. 17. He has beautiful eyes!! 18. He knows everything!! (We would be millionaires by now if we could just play Million Dollar Money Drop!) 19. His enthusiasm and loyalty for the Packers has infected Brooklyn and I. 20. His hair wi