What Am I Gaining?

Every so often, I move into a selfish mode concerning our decision to homeschool.  Recently, I have begun to wonder what I have been missing.  The boys are almost 7 years old and Leanne almost 5 and I have never sent them to day care or preschool or even to school.  I have never known the freedom of part of my day being child-free for cleaning, grocery shopping or laundry. In this realization, I have been selfishly thinking about what I am missing.  The free time, the freedom from responsibility/burden of choosing to school our children at home, is that what I am missing?  Last week, I began to read a book on home-schooling. Thanks to this book, I have been reminded about what I am gaining.  I know my children better than anyone. (except Doug)  I see their excitement of learning. I know that I am responsible for their manners, their education, their responsibility. I can't pass that buck to the school system.

The free time I don't have is a trade off for my kids to hopefully not be influenced by their peers.  When I was reading the book 7 Tools for Cultivating Your Child's Potential by Zan Tyler I skipped directly to the end. She had written a chapter about her homeschool journey. She began homeschooling in SC in 1984 when it was illegal and almost went to jail as she fought the battle to the state supreme court. I am thankful for women like her who paved the way so that I can have the right and privilege to teach my children at home!  Also there were messages from each of her now grown children talking about being homeschool meant to them. These messages helped me look past the difficulty of day to day teaching and child rearing to realize that my time and effort and at time tears will be worth my children being best friends for life and the closeness that we will most likely share. I also realize the opportunities my children will have because I have made this choice. They will not have to conform to the mold of traditional education that has to meet everyone's needs. I can meet his/her needs right where they are and allow, even help foster them to bloom in areas that may not have even been available in traditional school. Books like Mrs. Tyler's are good to read every now and again to keep me focused and my eye on the big picture.

So, to answer my question... What Am I Gaining? A lifetime with my children!

All About Spelling

When you are homeschooling, picking out the right curriculum is really hard.  Every curriculum says that it is the best and we are left to discern whether or not it is. Last spring, I shopped for many hours for 1st grade curriculum. Language and spelling is one area that I made a bad choice.  In January, I scrapped what I had done the 1st semester and began frantically looking for something else. I came upon All About Spelling!

Let me 1st say that we all LOVE it! There are days where the boys argue about who gets to do their spelling first! How fun is that?  It is really teaching them to spell, not just memorize spelling words which I also love. They boys are learning if they can spell mat and cap, then there are a ton of other words that they also know how to spell!  This program uses visual, auditory and kinesthetic styles of learning, so it is good for most children. It is not consumable and I love that! I will not have to buy it for Leanne, what I use for Timothy and Parker, I just keep and use for her.

All About Spelling is almost an inclusive phonics program as well.  There are books that coincide with the spelling call All About Reading. These are delightful hard back books with beautiful penciled illustrations, with simple words and sentences.  These books are really helping Timothy's confidence in the area of reading.  I will never shop for another spelling program. We are currently in level 1, but there are 8 levels.

What made me try this is that there is a one year, money back guarantee. But I guarantee that you won't want to use it!

All About Spelling

Tim is spelling a word using the tiles      

This allows him to hear the sound and then see the letter using a technique called segmenting

He is doing 100% better with spelling and reading since starting this program 2 months ago.  Parker could read well before this, but his spelling has improved a great deal!

Timothy LOVES his all about reading book to go with the spelling program! He is very proud that he has now finished this book. He starts book 2 this week.

Homeschool Update

We have had a really good week of school this week. The kids have worked hard in school and really been trying to help out with chores. The boys have even recently learned to sweep! It is amazing to me at times how much the boys are learning or have learned, both in school and in life.  Parker is reading so well and I can not take the credit for that; it just comes naturally for him. Timothy has been working really hard and is doing so much better! If were not for him getting his vowel sounds mixed up at times, he would be well on his way. I am faithful that that day is coming!  Leanne is a mess. I teach her some, but not too much; she has plenty of school days in the years ahead so I don't push her too hard, but she is around and hears and sees what I am teaching the boys.  She wrote me a note this week sounding out the words as best as she can; it was so cute and she got the point across!

We had a great field trip to Mrs. Hanes' Moravian Cookie Factory in Clemmons, NC on Friday. This was a great trip. I was honestly a little surprised at how much fun we had and how yummy these handmade cookies are. One of the best parts of these trips is that this is one place we get to see other families.  After almost a school year in our local association, the kids have friends that they look forward to seeing. Yesterday, Timothy made a new friend. It was so cute, he couldn't remember his name, but he got his phone number and couldn't wait to call him!

As I talk to many of my homeschool friends, I sometimes wonder if I try to be too structured... But, I recently read in an encouraging book that I should not compare myself, my husband, my kids, my home, my homeschool to others. Doing this causes jealousy or feelings of inadequacy or even pride.  This is very difficult for me, if I don't compare, then how will I know how I am doing?  I should be using God as my judge for how I am doing? Have I asked God if He is pleased with my week?  Did my efforts meet His expectations? If I worry about raising and teaching for the Lord and not to compare with my friends, I will be a lot better off!

Summer School

As we are winding down our kindergarten year of school I am already thinking about summer and first grade. I want to continue teaching our kids and them to keep learning and not have to start off the year with a month of review before we can start new material. I also don't want them to resent homeschool either. Sunday at church they were talking about the end of school and summer time. Timothy and Parker were very vocal about being homeschooled and they have to keep having school in the summer time. At home they have been asking me why they don't get a summer break like the "big kids". I don't want them to resent our time or our schooling. I just need to change how we talk about summer school and make sure that we have plenty of fun too. I also want them to look forward to going back to school in the fall to start 1st grade. I have so many wants for our "school life" at times it seems like a mountain, but yet it is a mountain I want to continue to climb.

So, for this week, we will have some summer school on Friday. We will read together in the meantime. Next week, we will just have to wait and see. I think for summer, we will take it one week, maybe even one day at a time!

A Victory

Somedays I wonder how long I can homeschool. How long can I keep struggling with Tim. I pray and ask God to give me the strength and the words to say. When it was time to start school today, Timothy cried... he didn't want to do school, but of course that is not an option.

We first did the phonics and reading book... the one he seems to hate the most. It was a short lesson today and at the end, he wanted to do more and I told him he could. He did two more pages BECAUSE HE WANTED TO!!! Then handwriting was next. He had to do two pages. While I was reading with Parker, he did the two pages and then did four more pages... BECAUSE HE WANTED TO!!! He was soo excited to show me his extra work that he did and had done well. Today is a day to praise and thank God for the small things.

It Takes A Great Effort!

At times homeschooling takes a great effort... on my part. In the year leading up to starting school, I just knew that Parker would be difficult. He has what we call a little "crazy" streak in him. He has ants in his pants. I knew I would have a hard time getting him to sit still and to stay focused and on task. I knew we would have battles and that he might actually hate school.

I was wrong. Parker has been an exceptional student and loves our school time.

It is Timothy. Timothy is the one who hates school. Who at some point in every school day cries. He says the work is hard and sits there refusing to do it. He plays with his pencil or his eraser, constantly twisting and turning in his seat. The thing is, he can do the work. A lot of times he know the answers before Parker. On the rare days when he puts forth focus and effort, he finishes his work before Parker and has good handwriting. The problem is those days are few and far between. It leaves him and me feeling aggravated and discouraged. I have prayed and cried over what I think is best for him. Should I put him in public school? Should I repeat kindergarten work with him so it will be easier next year?

I have always known that I wanted to homeschool our children. Public school has never been an option for us, from before they were born. To put them in public school would be disobedience to God since this is what I know He wants for our family and it would be me giving up not only on my self but Timothy also just because it is hard.

I have decided that it is okay for it to be hard and for some days to be really hard. I have decided to put forth the effort to not yell at him or get aggravated when it takes him three hours to do one hour of work. As emotionally draining as it is to do the right thing. I tell him over and over and over how smart he is and that I love him. When he starts to cry, I hug him and tell him it is okay to be sad but that I know he can do this work. And when he is done we celebrate and I remind him that I knew all along he could do it or I wouldn't have asked him to.

I pray that my great effort to love and encourage him and my great effort to not yell at him pays off. That with time he will develop confidence in school and learn to love learning. I pray that I am able to help him develop his strengths of creativity as he learns to write and draw. I know that if I continue to give this great effort my children will know what they need to know but each be able to grow in their own areas of interest and individuality. I am thankful to God that we are able to homeschool our children. It is a privilege and I don't
want to miss the small miracles and accomplishments of each day!

Realizations!

Today we are finishing our 1st math book in homeschool. This year there have been good times and bad times. I realize that we have learned a lot this year. The boys can read, they can add and subtract single digits, they can somewhat tell time. They can write short sentences by themselves.  They get to learn where I know they are safe and protected from so many things that I am not ready for them to be exposed to.  The commitment for me is huge and I can't make a "forever" commitment for homeschool, but I am in for another year! 1st grade... Here we come!

Times Are Changing

As I look ahead to the fall, I see so much in our life changing! The boys will be in Kindergarten. Is that really possible? I can’t believe that they are five years old already. We plan on homeschooling, but Kindergarten is still a milestone in their lives and in ours. I think about how our life will never be the same and am nervous about the pressure and responsibility to train our children in all they need to be responsible, polite, respectful, intelligent (hopefully) children and someday adults.

Over the past few years, we have changed the priorities that we used to have in life and have made decisions that we hope will bring glory to God and peace in our home. They continue to change and evolve into what we see as walking closer to God, choosing to choose His way of life rather than the world’s. We want to live debt free... if we are out of debt and are talking about the way we spend our money, then we will have no money troubles... and the love of money and material things is the source of so much discord and unhappiness in our world. We don’t want them to affect our marriage and our family negatively. We need a new truck, but have decided to save until we can pay cash for it. God has been faithful in providing for us and I have no doubt that He will honor our decision and keep Doug’s old truck running a little while longer until we have saved some more money! I am thankful for the change in our priority of debt... We don't want any!!!

Our life seems so busy now, we seem always on the go, compared to few short years ago and that in itself reminds me that times are changing. I was a schedule fanatic, I used to never miss naptime or bedtime, now it is normal for several times a week for our schedule to go out the window. I get frazzled and frustrated don’t always feel like I am a good mom and wife. I question the way discipline and my expectations, not only of the kids but my expectations of myself. I wonder who am I trying to please...

As a busy wife and a mom I have to constantly remind myself that my Lord and Savior HAS to be the center of my life, the Only One I am trying to please. He never changes and that part of my life should never change either. As I go from breakfast to lunch to laundry to groceries to cleaning bathrooms and then on to work it is so easy for me to lose my focus. As times around me are changing and at times spinning out of control, today, I am reminded that everything can change, but God’s love for me does not change, Jesus dying on the cross for me does not change, God’s unending grace and mercy does not change. If I keep my focus on those things, I will have what ever I need, whenever I need it to get through life and it’s constant changes, and I will have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, on the other side of that change.