After about 5 weeks of school, I found that we were having a few issues. Most of them revolving around watching little ones and helping the big teen with his lessons. The parenting style of tomato staking is very important in our family (we have a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder). I literally cannot let the little ones or at least that little one out of my sight. Also my big teen really is distractable and cannot learn with little kid table time activities going on at the same table with him. The result of this dilemma over the last few weeks has been that the kids often play on the back porch (our sorta playroom), while my ds and I often homeschool on the laundry room floor. This way I can see them and help him. YUCK! It occurred to me that I could move our homeschooling upstairs where ds could work at his desk in his bedroom and I could move many of the porch toys to the bedroom shared by Little Red Ridinghood and Tom Sawyer, so I could be in between them and do it all. The problem -- there was very little room in the little ones' bedroom. So this weekend my dh stacked their beds into their original design of bunk beds and moved some furniture and Ta Da! a functional playroom/bedroom.
My other issue has been that I thought my youngest, Little Red Ridinghood, knew some stuff that she does not know or does not have down solid. Sometimes in the last few weeks this has caused stress for both of us when I have set up things for her to do that were too difficult. Since we will already have Labor Day off and Tuesday some of the kids start their new classes (Goldilocks - homeschool choir, Tom Sawyer - Occupational Therapy, Little Red Ridinghood - pre-ballet), this is the perfect week to "homeschool lite". Instead of doing my normal schedule of a FIAR book plus all of our other lessons, I will be assessing what the little ones know and do not know. I have compiled a long checklist from several sources and, through play, will be finding out what I need to be teaching and revamping goals. This would usually be our week off, based on the 5 weeks on 1 week off schedule, so I will only be asking a little bit from the big teen, as well. We fell a little bit behind with his illness but his days will be very light.
Blessings,
Dawn
What a beautiful playroom/bedroom. I love the bunk beds! Everything has a place! I hope it works well for you. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI love the bedroom/playroom! Don't you love it when a solution suddenly comes to you like that? Also, when my children have gotten gum in their hair, we used either peanut butter or mineral oil to get it out. Maybe it will work on faces as well! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWe are also adjusting to having the new ones in the homeschooling section of our day. I have made some BIG changes from last year and I think more are to come. So far things are rolling along. I don't think we will get as far as last year, but that is okay as long as we get somewhere. Sounds like your flexibility and creativity are in full effect and will really help everyone get where they need to be. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteYou posted a comment on my blog and I checked out your profile and seen that you have interests in foster care and adoption. My son is adopted and we have considered foster care but haven't done it yet. I wasn't sure if you could homeschool foster care children. I just haven't looked into it. Anywho, thanks for the comment on the reading in 100 lessons. Today went MUCH better!
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