The real reason for this post is to share my joy in my homeschooling schedule. I know, I know. I used the words "joy" and "schedule" in the same sentence...Me, who generally hates any kind of structure or routine! But as in any great schedule, it has to work, and this works for me!
Our mornings are very open and flexible. Lige gets up and helps the kids with breakfast (if they need help...they are pretty capable of getting cereal for themselves!) while I catch a few more ZZZs. The girls are in charge of emptying the dishwasher every morning, so that I can get breakfast dishes cleaned up. There's a lot of free play in our mornings. This kids have been playing outside toghether, making up dances, and playing race cars or dress up these days. This gives me a chance to check email and facebook with a cup of coffee. I can also get the living room, bathroom, and kitchen tidied up.
Around 11am I read a chapter from our "Ten Girls..." series to the girls especially, and the boys if they are interested. It's a great collection of stories about women in history who were used by God in amazing ways. We've read about Katherine Luther (Martin Luther's wife) and Susannah Spurgeon (Charles Spurgeon's wife) among many others. My prayer is that these stories will inspire my girls to follow hard after God and allow Him to use them for His glory. Following each chapter is a review that has a Fact File, Keynote, Think, and Prayer section. I love this time with the girls.
Following that is 15 minutes of free reading for Amana. We are not quite two weeks into school, and Amana is already onto her third chapter book! I require at least 15 minutes of reading time, but she's been choosing to do more, which I love! During this time Anlynn works on her reading with me. For a girl who craves one-on-one interaction, she is blossoming because of this special time together. And I am blessed as well.
Next, we have lunch. Sometimes with Daddy, sometimes without him, depending on his schedule. Once lunch is over, Isaac goes down for a nap and Harrison settles down with PBS Kids for rest time. Then classes start.
We've added subjects this year, which was overwhelming for me at first. Setting up a weekly rotation of those additional subjects has proven very effective for us. We get in all we need to, without rushing through things just to cross them off our list.
I wanted to share this with you because I wanted you to know I am learning and growing as we homeschool. I am learning it's okay to be flexible. I am learning that a schedule can bring peace and satisfaction to our days. I'm learning that when I am weak, I can turn to God and seek His help...and He hears me and helps me. I'm learning that I really can teach my children well. Not just to be smart or academically successful...but I can teach them really important things that will go with them as the get older: what it means to be a part of a family, how to work together, how to be patient, how to say "I don't want to, but I will."
Today has been a good day. Tomorrow might be a bit bumpy, but as I press into God, I know we can do this. And that's what's making me happy today!
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