2 Weeks Down...

I thought I'd take a post to let you all know how schooling is going so far this year.  We are officially in our third week of school. I eased into the routine, starting just one subject about a month ago and working up to almost a full schedule last week, then science being thrown in this week.  

I love being on our own schedule. I was worried I would feel more stress by teaching the kids, but I don't.  The kids work independently in the morning (by independently I mean on the subjects they do separately...this is where I work with them one on one when they have questions or are learning a new math concept.  This normally takes until lunch time.  We break for lunch and then we head down for science and history, which we all do together.  The kids have learned quickly how to work independently in the morning, without me having to tell them what to do next.  This means that I have a few minutes in between questions to run up and switch laundry, or do something on my to do list. I live by my to do list now more than ever! If it is not on my list, there is no way it will get done.

Generally by 2:30, the kids are done with school work and I have gotten ready for the next day, which means we don't have to think about school until the next morning. This was my goal, because as I said before, I didn't want homeschooling to overtake my life!

I thought I would miss doing all the "back to school" activities, but I really didn't.  Another of my fears was that we would be "blacklisted" by their school friends for pulling them out. Silly, I know, but it was a fear. God is good in that both Maddie and Braden have gotten to spend time with school friends in the past 2 weeks!  

And Matt has been wonderful, giving them science experiments to work on in the evening. The other night I went to get groceries and he had them all around the table teaching them something about hydrogen and oxygen!

We've all definitely had our ups and downs...a few tears have been shed and I have felt the weight of having the educational futures of my kids on my shoulders.  But all in all I am happy with the choice we made to home school. At this point (which I realize it is just at the beginning!) I wouldn't do it differently if I had to choose again.  

We are all still learning how to make this work best, and I am so thankful for God's grace and that Christ's power is perfected in my weaknesses!

2 Corinthians 12:9

 "And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me". 


By the way...Maddie has been writing about different school projects on her blog...the link is to the right!