Wow we are 16 weeks into this crazy adventure otherwise known as homeschooling. And it’s going really well. I’m loving the time we get to spend as a family and we’ve fallen into a pretty good routine.
I was worried about Caedmon and what to do with a 2 year old while I tried to teach a 5 year old. He is very laid back and often will set up some toys in the “classroom” and make himself at home and I go back and forth between playing with him and with teaching. There have only been a few rare days that both Clint and I are both home, either I’m working and so he’s home teaching, but more often he’s subbing and I’m home teaching, and managing both has gone really well. It is nice on those days when both of us are here to be able to give focused attention to both. We do try and get outside and walk/run/play ball or climb on rocks or something physical and active at least once in the morning and again after lunch. Everyone needs a Lego break from time to time.
I am learning what Leighton likes and what he does not like. Copywork is definitely not his favorite and so I’ve tried to make it more exciting by timing him or having him race (but yet keep the good handwriting focus), but sometimes there is just work that has to be done that one doesn’t like and that is part of life. His writing is getting better and its been neat to see him grow and develop. Math is by far his favorite and something that he flies through because he loves it. And he’s becoming an avid reader and really enjoying stories coming alive.
We have done a fairly good job of keeping Leighton connected with other kids his age, November was a bit of a crazy month and I wasn’t as pro-active about that as I had been, but he’s doing gymnastics and swimming each week and we try and go swimming with a friend once or twice a month and have play dates a couple of times a month as well. We are in a small group Bible Study that meets twice a month and there are kids there that he interacts with and plays with as well as the monthly Clover Buds (4H for 5-7 year olds) that he does. I think next year we will do the once a week APEX program that is offered nearby for homeschool families which is a day program that does things like choir and band and theater as well as the basic classes and some others like robotics and such just to give him a greater exposure to other subjects that I can’t teach and give him another opportunity for those interactions.
Looking back I am really glad we made the decision we did, it’s a year to year decision and for this year I definitely feel like we made the right one.
Hiking Mommy 