1st Day of School

Ready or not....here we go!!!

For three years now I have gone back and forth on homeschooling the kids. The have been enrolled in FBA here since we moved from Oman, and I have loved the school. LOVED IT! Every teacher has been the exact teacher that my children have needed. But....I have still felt the tug in my heart to have them home and educate them here. So....today is the official first day of homeschooling. There........I said it! Get up off of the floor now....





Here is a little secret. I was home schooled, too. And I HATED IT! Now give me a minute. You have to understand. We were the ONLY family within a 30 mile radius that homeschooled. I had attended regular school up until the 6th grade, and I was a very social butterfly. The homeschoolers that I knew (with the exception of two families in Starkville) were weird and had 10 plus kids in their family and their mother was pregnant with the 11th and possibly 12th. Not judging here. Just stating that facts. It was quite overwhelming. I was the worst homeschooling brat ever. EVER....right Mom? (Really. Don't answer that.) I was so bad that my parents ended up having to send me back to school so I wouldn't distract my other siblings! And I said I would NEVER homeschool my kids!!! NEVER!

Now, I am eating my words! The girls are actually looking forward to this year. We are using Classical Conversations and ABEKA. I can't believe how excited I am about doing this. It is amazing how your thought process changes when you are solely responsible for the education of your children. Everything becomes a teaching moment. It should have always been, but the gears have changed. Cooking becomes a science project. Shopping become a math lesson. Chores become a fun learning experience, too! OK...maybe I am going a bit far. But the shopping math lesson might become a regular field trip. (Just kidding to you all who think I am serious!)

Classical Conversations will be where the girls meet once a week in a class-room setting and have a tutoring session with other kids their age. This will help me stay on track and have some accountability, and the girls will have some healthy competition and social interaction.

I have lists all over the place. Mainly for me so I can keep up with all the rules I have made for our family. But the kids actually like them, too. The best list I think I have made is the "Tattling Tally Tracker"! Every time one of the kids tattle, they have to put a mark by their name. Nothing more than that. No other consequences. Once they see how often they tattle on each other, the tattling starts slowing down. They don't want to be the one who tattles the most. If I could understand everything Ellen says, I know she would have the most marks. She is always walking up to me and pointing a finger and her siblings.

The girls will still take gymnastics. This will be their 3rd year. I am afraid they are getting tired of gymnastics. Katheryn keeps mentioning soccer. I can see how some parents push their kids in one area. I think she is really good. If she takes a break from it, I feel we may have to start all over. But I know if she hates it...it won't be worth it. I know we will continue gymnastics at least until our next move. After that, we can reassess and figure out what extra-curricular activity to choose next.

Katheryn is still learning to play the violin and will be taking piano lessons this fall. That means I need a piano.....another one. My last one shorted out. It was digital by the way. Hopefully, once we get the piano, I can start teaching voice again. I feel I am losing my "gift". The problem will be finding something to do with the kids during the lessons. But we will cross that bridge when we get there.

Off to do lesson plans! HA HA HA!!!!!