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| My apologies if this is copyrighted - I couldn't find out for sure. Originally from the Official Book of Homeschooling Cartoons, by Todd Wilson. |
Things I plan to do differently this school year:
1. Not force anyone to eat breakfast. Namely, Anna. The other two eat the second they get up, sometimes earlier. I always have this inner voice in my head that tells me if my kids don't have a nutritious breakfast, or at the very least, a bowl of sugar frosted cocoa bombs, then they will not be able to concentrate, fail at school, never graduate, marry a thug, and go to prison.
But fighting over breakfast is not a good way to start the day.
Maybe I'll set out a bowl of grapes, or a bag of pretzels, and if she's hungry over her science lesson, she can munch.
After all, no one knows our own bodies like ourselves. And if she really hates food in the morning, I think I'm just gonna let her hate.
2. Get up earlier and wake the kids earlier. I hate this one, because I really like getting up when I want to, and letting the kids sleep as long as possible. After all, that and the pajamas, are the main reasons we homeschool! My kids are not good morning people, but you know what? They are worse late morning people.
Plus, they go to bed earlier, which you gotta know...can just be nice. Not that I don't love the little gremlins.
“There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. Grammar and vocabulary and spelling.
Yeah, we mostly skipped those last year. Don't judge.
4. Tightening up on Anna's schooling (not trusting her to be more independent than she naturally can be) and continuing to loosen up on Cora's. What does this mean, practically? Sitting nearby and NOT doing eleventy-seven other things while Anna struggles with math, and allowing Cora to spend afternoons at the library alone if she wishes.
5. Doing a lot more field trips and meeting more potential friends. Especially for Cora, who finds it hard to find a Bestie. We joined a whole new group this year and are looking forward to getting involved. Last year, I had about as much interest in being involved in anything, as I do in nuclear physics. That is to say, zero.
6. Remembering that while I don't enjoy teaching school, I do enjoy my kids. While Pre-Algebra might not make sunbeams shoot out from anyone's head, unicorns prance by, violins play, or rainbows emerge over the kitchen table, I don't have to come to school kicking and screaming harder than the students. It's bad for morale.
What are you doing differently this year?
Wait...is it really August 16th??? I'm still trying to wrap my head around "doing" this year. Not quite ready to plunge into the realm of doing differently. Too much for my poor little brain today. Maybe next week. :0)
ReplyDeleteI know...I'm SO not ready either. Gulp.
DeleteWell, this year I'm going to play more card games and let the kids keep score. And bake more cakes. And critique more cartwheels. And eat Cheeze-its crumbs with spoons. Oh, wait, that's what we did today. But I get to be frivolous; I'm the Gramma!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to sprinkle the cheezit crumbs over the ice cream!
DeleteHey you two, don't be cruel....now all I want is a big box and I can't get cheezeits here! I have tried and failed...oh how I have tried. I have multiple grocers that swear they can get them....and they can't! I live in a third world cheezy cracker hating country! Have a heart, send your crumbs to me!
DeleteI will be entering my 23 year of homeschooling. Four are graduated, 3 more to go. The 3 girls at home are 13, 15, & 17. The 15 and 17 year olds are very motivated and work well on their own. The 13 year old hates school and I have to sit on her to do anything. We joined a co-op a few years ago, because the math and science were killing me. They now do math, science, Spanish, writing, gym, art and the oldest with do Literature there too. They have a ton of homework, but they love the co-op.
ReplyDeleteMy 15 year old refuses to eat breakfast. She has brunch around 11. Usually she makes herself an omlet or a big bowl of cereal. On co-op days, she doesn't eat until noon. I give her a granola bar for her backpack and she eats it between classes. I gave up trying to get her to eat breakfast a long time ago!
What will we do different this year? I will insist my girls get up earlier. This summer they haven't been getting up until 10-10:30. I want school to start at 9 a.m., so they will be done with their work and we can take late afternoon walks. It won't be easy. They like getting up late, and starting school late and working into the late afternoon. I like getting up by 7 and getting the day going!
Blessings to you and yours!
23 years! Hats off to you, mama!
DeleteI like that quote! Oh how we love bedtime for the kids around here. :) What am I going to do differently? I have no idea...yet. I'm sure I'll feel guilty enough about something to change things around at some point. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe main thing we are doing differently this year is eliminating LOTS of outside activities while my husband finishes his last year of grad school. I'm looking forward to being able to do more than just wave to him in passing between Monday and Friday.
ReplyDelete