Every year I intend to finish our school year strong. It always feels great to complete workbooks, look back at improvements made, and generally make a big stinkin' deal about my babes moving on to the next grade level! Our last few weeks are spent diligently working and looking forward to Summer and all its' freedom.
This year?
Not so much.
We are finishing school, not with a bang, but a creak. It was a slow winding down as we navigated surgeries, funerals, and miscellaneous appointments for people, animals, house repairs and automobiles.
It felt like we were becoming unschoolers, for crying out loud!
But in the midst of all the crazy, my little boy who struggled so much with reading GOT IT. His lightbulb came on and all of a sudden he wants to read and he is doing it! All the kids are ahead in Math, which has given a us a nice cushion in this nuts-o season of life.
I'm so thankful God has allowed us to homeschool another year. Despite the perceived chaos this go-round, I have been allowed to see my kids grow and learn and watch their faces light up when they "get it" and celebrate with hugs, high-fives, and Skittles. (Yes, I bribe my kids. Don't judge. It works.) They have all made great strides in learning this year and we have read more books as a family than ever before. We have learned to love great adventure and realized that sometimes the best school days are the ones where we get sidetracked.
Summer is upon us and our school year is officially ending, but the learning will continue. I will continue working on math and spelling with the 1st-almost-2nd graders and the bigs will complete two math lessons each week along with their summer reading assignment from their tutorial which will help them keep their brains sharp. My sweet middle will do two math lessons plus work on spelling over the summer as well.
But we will find plenty of time for travel, camping, swimming, and maybe even go fly a kite! I am looking forward to the end of basketball season and evenings on the deck. It is time to pack up another year, take a deep breath, and rest. I'm so proud of my kids. Shoot, I'm even proud of me. This year was the hardest one so far. But we did it. With God's guidance and by His grace, we have successfully completed four years of homeschooling.
Is it easy? There was a time when I said yes, but not anymore. Five kids with five vastly different needs and learning styles are not easy. It has been very challenging, often frustrating. But we pushed through and, though we didn't get everything done, we got the important things done.
I am satisfied and thankful. And I am tired.
This year?
Not so much.
We are finishing school, not with a bang, but a creak. It was a slow winding down as we navigated surgeries, funerals, and miscellaneous appointments for people, animals, house repairs and automobiles.
It felt like we were becoming unschoolers, for crying out loud!
But in the midst of all the crazy, my little boy who struggled so much with reading GOT IT. His lightbulb came on and all of a sudden he wants to read and he is doing it! All the kids are ahead in Math, which has given a us a nice cushion in this nuts-o season of life.
I'm so thankful God has allowed us to homeschool another year. Despite the perceived chaos this go-round, I have been allowed to see my kids grow and learn and watch their faces light up when they "get it" and celebrate with hugs, high-fives, and Skittles. (Yes, I bribe my kids. Don't judge. It works.) They have all made great strides in learning this year and we have read more books as a family than ever before. We have learned to love great adventure and realized that sometimes the best school days are the ones where we get sidetracked.
Summer is upon us and our school year is officially ending, but the learning will continue. I will continue working on math and spelling with the 1st-almost-2nd graders and the bigs will complete two math lessons each week along with their summer reading assignment from their tutorial which will help them keep their brains sharp. My sweet middle will do two math lessons plus work on spelling over the summer as well.
But we will find plenty of time for travel, camping, swimming, and maybe even go fly a kite! I am looking forward to the end of basketball season and evenings on the deck. It is time to pack up another year, take a deep breath, and rest. I'm so proud of my kids. Shoot, I'm even proud of me. This year was the hardest one so far. But we did it. With God's guidance and by His grace, we have successfully completed four years of homeschooling.
Is it easy? There was a time when I said yes, but not anymore. Five kids with five vastly different needs and learning styles are not easy. It has been very challenging, often frustrating. But we pushed through and, though we didn't get everything done, we got the important things done.
I am satisfied and thankful. And I am tired.
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