Friday, April 15, 2011

Homeschool Mother's Journal Week 5

The Homeschool Mother's Journal


In my life this week…
It has been busy as usual.  We are trying to get ready for Geography Fair on Monday.  Should've just ordered Lydia's costume.  But nooooo...thought why.....I can sew!  Between her dress and Joey's viking chain mail....well I'm ready to lose it.  We cleaned out our Basement on Sunday.  Still have a ways to go, but at least the garbage is out and we have a safe place during those wonderful spring and summer severe storms.  Monday we visited the largest newspaper office in the area.  It was a wonderful experience.  Monday was Lydia's last skating lesson.  On Tuesday we (just) did school.  On Wednesday the girls started soccer and Lydia and I volunteered at the Humane Society.  Which takes us to Thursday when we dropped off our van in the shop for a plugged fuel pump and picked up the cats we fell in love with while cleaning the cat room.  Friday we need to finish up our projects and I need to visit the fabric store again...to fix what I messed up:(

In our homeschool this week…
We are chugging along.  We finished our Rainforest Habitat unit and started our Earth Day unit.  We also watched the Lorax and a DVD on what Earth Day is.  The boys are working on coins and Lydia is working on Headspourt for Phonics.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
Monday we went to the newspaper office.  And Wednesday Lydia and I started our volunteer rotation at the local Humane Society.  We will be going every other Wednesday to clean the cat room and anything else they need for two hours.  It is fun.

My favorite thing this week was…
I really enjoyed the new rainforest game we played, but I really enjoyed the Newspaper tour.  It was very interesting to see how they get the information and it gets handed around.  Wonderful learning experience for even Mom.

What’s working/not working for us…
Right now we have some massive attitude coming from one of the children....can't wait till she is a teenager!!!  We need to get on a better schedule.  I'm just working on it.  We have things pop in, and this doesn't work well for the boys.  I am working on a schedule for both Brayden and Joey to finish their alone work.  I think that will be the first few of their workboxes each day.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…
What do others do for outside social activities.  Obviously in our case, I try to get them out a bit more.  But right now the boys have LEGO Club, field trips, Kids Peace Club, World Travelers Club, a monthly zoo class and Special Olympics sports.  Lydia has Daisy scouts, a monthly zoo class, LEGO Club, soccer (just finished ice skating), Kids Peace Club, World Travelers Club, and an upcoming American Girl Club.  Like everyone else I feel like we are van schooling some weeks when you throw in field trips.  That being said, Has anyone out there successfully meshed K12 curriculum with children who are not in K12 curriculum?  I feel like they really required my 5 year old to stare at their curriculum...which she doesn't even like....for hours each day.  I do not like their one-on-one sessions either, and I wasn't happy this week when it was cancelled because her kindergarten teacher was working with 3rd graders for state testing.  I'm giving one more session before pulling her out totally.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…


She won't wash anything and fights to do chores at home, but she can wash the dog's food bowls....What gives?!?!?!?!

Have a great weekend!!!!

8 comments:

  1. I am following you back and thankful for your visit!

    It sounds like you are doing a great job! You are so busy. I am inspired to do more myself!

    (and yes, those attitudes from children are such fun!)

    Blessings
    Mrs. White
    The Legacy of Home

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah, little girls...
    Both of my girls were far more "spirited" and stubborn (still are at 20 and 12) than my son EVER thought of being...

    It exhausted me, reading what all you are involved in!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can't wait to see pictures from the Geography Fair :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. My son screams about writing sentences and then writes poems at CoOp.

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW! We don't have even half those activities. Next month we're going to visit our local American Heritage Girls troop to see if we like it. I am thinking we'll do that next school year because it divides out by age group so the girls will get to be separate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Man, you guys sound busy! A geography fair sounds like so much fun; we were going to do one but we had just too much going on. Can't wait to hear more about that!

    I love the kind of field trips where I learn just as much as the children. Those are some of the most interesting ones. I bet the newspaper office was so fascinating.

    Stopping by from THMJ; have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  7. My kids social activities are limited to church, Adventurers and swimming lessons. I want them to be each other's best friends, so home time, and time together is special to me. Just reading your week made me tired, hang in there. Hope the sewing goes better this week.

    Have a great Sunday!!!

    Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  8. You guys are in alot of activities (mine are too)...i try and re-evaluate often where are time and energies are going because the simple truth is "you cant homeschool if you are never at home". THAT being said, my kiddos are in ballet, ice skating, horseback, and girl scouts and one is old enough for church formation class. total, it is an activity 6 of 7 days every week (ugh). we really utilize our hometime. if an activity is in the afternoon then we homeschool that morning and vice versa. i try to look at it that we need to worry about the kids interests and curiosities being met and not worry about the "socialization" aspect. Are we feeding their passions? their talents? if we are, then we are doing our job :-) great stopping by again via the HMJ. hope you will stop over! blessings to you! katie

    ReplyDelete