the beginning

So, today we started homeschooling.

Yesterday was the big day of withdrawing him from school and turning in our intent to homeschool. He seemed a bit emotional and cranky and with the huge change I decided to "take a day off" on the first day. ha!

Today went decently well. I don't have official curriculum, so I'm working to cover the topics he's accustomed to in each of the main subjects....reinforcing the math and spelling, etc. For science, I tried a totally different approach - we have the book The Way Things Work by David Macaulay that completely delights Little B...so, I had him choose a topic and write a few sentences on how it works. Later this week, we'll research it online as well as at the library. If applicable he can attempt to build it. He loves to read and will do plenty of that without my prompting, so I'll encourage some history stories and have him talk about it with me. And a friend made him a special writing notebook a while back with a box of "writing prompts" to encourage stories and thoughts on paper...we'll use that as a great tool in the coming weeks as well. As for PE, he's taking Taekwondo three times a week, so it keeps it simple!

Our school system only has 5 weeks left (25 days, starting yesterday), counting this week. I gave myself a few extra weeks to finish our school year when I turned in the form just so we can get a good feel for what works best.

Next year, I will need a good curriculum. I have begun diving into the depths of this new world; I hope I surface with confidence! The options are vast and I want to choose a curriculum that will work well for him. Thankfully, I've got a few friends who homeschool and can offer tips and suggestions.

Miss C started homeschool today as well - she was SO excited that she was ready to start an hour early and did all the sheets I'd printed for most of the week. I do believe I'll need to look further for resources for her. She's hoping to learn to read soon!

Keeping up with Baby J each morning will be my biggest challenge. . .

new adventures lie ahead

I've been AWOL for a while, mostly gone, rarely here. But, a new adventure lies ahead of me. What it holds, I cannot fathom. I think it will decrease the stress for my son and his struggles every day. I think it will give us a modicum of routine that is a bit less intense, allowing us to address and help cope with some more personal issues as they arise.

Little B has had a very, very hard year. He has been struggling desparately with bullies and stress and anxiety and completely unable to cope with anything by half way through the day, if he makes it that far. Suffice it to say, where we are is the culmination of months of agony for him and therefore for us.

I am almost positive I will turn in our Letter of Intent to Homeschool on Monday, perhaps even tomorrow. My life is surely about to take a change. I need to create a schoolroom from the messy bonus room upstairs, find six weeks of school work that is grade-level appropriate for him, and learn the ropes of what and how. Thankfully I am surrounded by homeschooling friends, but it feels a wee bit daunting for me. Yes, there are 6 weeks left, but the very prospect of it lightens his heart so much that the look on his face pushes me forward. I know it's the right thing.