I often have to catch myself from turning into a Type A weirdo (ie: my normal self) who forgets the perks of homeschooling. In my mind? We'd start around 8:00 or 8:30 and be done by 10:00. In reality? Pretty weather trumps an early start time. Being out of coffee (which requires an early trip to the grocery store) also trumps an early start time. In my mind? Since you're a sponge, I didn't think we'd take many breaks (hence, being done at 10:00). In reality? We take LOTS of breaks. This keeps Charlie from feeling too left out and keeps you from losing focus. It also makes our school days last quite a bit longer. In my mind? I thought I was going to go cuh-RAZY being around you both all day. In reality? I have. But I've also enjoyed this month more than I ever anticipated.
We've kept a pretty consistent routine this month and it's seemed to work quite well. Whenever we start (whether it's 8:00 or 10:00 or somewhere in between), you start by writing your memory verse. I pick a new one each week, and I'm trying to pick ones that work on character-building. While the Bible doesn't specifically say "Thou musn't be a big ol' jerk to thy little brother", there are a lot of verses about how our words matter, how we can be a good friend, and how to honor Mommy and Daddy. By writing the verses each day, you're simultaneously memorizing scripture and working on your handwriting. I'm all for multi-tasking.
Speaking of writing, you were none too happy with me for insisting you hold your pencil the correct way. You've been writing for a long time and I noticed that you held your pencil kinda crazy-like, but I never corrected you. Perhaps I should have, seeing that you whined for days about how awful it was holding it the right way. And you were also mad about how I'm making you start your letters and numbers from the top (you wrote half of them starting from the bottom). I heard "But MOMMYYYYYYYY! It's too HAAAAAARRDDDDDD!") After a few days of incessant caterwauling, you're a pencil-holding and writing-your-letters-and-numbers-from-the-top champ. And your handwriting has improved. Imagine that.
After your memory verse, we take a break. Either you color a picture relating to the verse (or you just draw a rainbow - you're slightly rainbow obsessed) or we play with Charlie (or I clean the kitchen or whatever). After the break, we start on math. I'm a math nerd, Daddy's a math nerd, you have math nerd DNA running all over your body - so there was no chance that you'd get away without doing it. Right now we're practicing how to add the 2s. You're good up until 4+2. Did you know such a math problem can turn someone into a grump? Because it does. Bob (the nerdiest of math nerds in our family) has supplied with me with oodles of math manipulatives: dominoes, tangrams, dice, pattern blocks, base 10 blocks, Cuisinaire rods, you name it. I'm using them a little bit in our lessons, but I'm hoping to learn more ways (other than Charlie's preferred method of turning every manipulative into a sword and whacking the couch).
It's usually lunchtime after we finish up with math. Then we read. The curriculum we bought came with a lot of great classic books. I could have added on another set of books for a hefty charge, but didn't. Thankfully I've found most of the other set of books at the library. Either you read or I read and then I ask you some questions from the Reading Guide. This is (hopefully) teaching you pay attention to what you're reading (or hearing). Reading comprehension is a huge struggle for me (that's certainly not helped by my horrific short-term memory) so I hope you get your Daddy's ability to remember what you read.
I never pegged myself for a homeschool mom. I never pegged myself as patient, organized, or capable of teaching anyone. And you know what I've found after a month of homeschool? I'm still none of those things. And that's okay. Because we're going to have those days where we're crabby and we're going to have the days where we don't feel like 'doing' school. Maybe we'll trudge through or maybe we'll scrap it and go on a nature walk. I like the idea of teaching you school, absolutely. But I'm even more excited to watch you discover what you're passionate about (perhaps 'Lover of Rainbows' will be a paying job one day). The Lord has marvelous plans for you, my sweet girl, and watching those plans unfold will be one of my utmost treasures.
Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy
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Headlines for October 1, 2014:
- Army warns US military personnel on ISIS threat to family members
- Lecrae: I put faith in hip-hop
- Ebola Patient's Family Ordered To Stay Inside After Trying to Leave
- Missing Girl Found in Mexico 12 Years Later
- Couple Leaves a $100 Tip for Bad Service
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