Many things are working well this year. For the first time I am giving regular quizzes and tests and thus there are grades. I've even assigned homework over the weekend. Sean presented them with their report cards Friday night with a commentary on each subject and their achievement. There were beaming faces all around.
I wasn't sure how the girls would respond to receiving grades, but they have embraced it completely. For those who are competition driven, it is a huge motivator. For others it serves as proof that they can and will will be rewarded for their hard work and study.
I just told Lydia to put a bean in a bag with a wet paper towel. She's taken it to a whole new level. We might have a botanist on our hands.We are, however, going to have to revisit our list of rules and daily schedule. It's so easy for us all to get off track here and there which can really make a wreck of things. Oh, how I love spontaneity. I'm feeling a bit discouraged these days with the house and its sad condition. It is getting picked up (mostly), but not really cleaned. My room is full of winter/summer clothes bins, piles of clean clothes to be folded and dirty ones to be washed. It really is not an encouragement to open one's eyes each morning to this mess. There are shoes missing and stacks of papers to be filed. I just have no energy or motivation at the end of the day to get to these every growing piles.
This is our school room. As you can see, it's also our play room.Homeschooling has so many implications for the daily life of a family and the house they live in. If anyone knows how it is that a family can manage a school, cafeteria, home office, playroom, laundry mat, clinic, library.... under the same roof in an orderly fashion, could you please enlighten me? This teacher, cook, secretary, entertainer, wash woman, nurse, librarian.... is getting a bit overwhelmed it seems.
6 comments:
You are doing GREAT! So much of that stuff doesn't matter in the grand scheme of life. You EXCEL at the things that do.
I would take a day where everyone is simply pitching in on the piles. Even Sean. (I'm amazed at how much Scott can get done and relieve me of stress in just an hour's worth of work.) Skip school. Put on some fun music, get some treats at rewards to break up the day, and tackle your junk.
It's no wonder you are tired...look at ALL you do! You need a break to refresh yourself lady! :-)
Hey, I gave you an award...stop by my place for more info.
Looks like this week's Baggy Winkles is just for you!! Of course, I think you probably have more wisdome than most in ordering your day. Last week I was hoping and praying that the cleaning fairy would come and visit and take care of my piles and messes. Oh, how unmotivated I have become, too! This week, I'm bringing out the winter clothes....and I dread it!!! So glad to hear how well the new 9-week grades worked for your crew. See, that's something to hang your hat on! :) And it was encouraging to me to think that we too are 1/4 of the way done!!!
Time flies when your having fun?
As for the chaos, girl, I'm with you. But I've found solace in the fact that unlike a lot of folks, we live here 24/7. Our bathrooms get used, our carpets get trodden, our kitchen gets descended upon all day long. There's a reason things are a bit out of control. I agree with Cindy: if it's driving you crazy, take a mental health day with fun food and music and dive in. I think I may take her advice myself this week!
Ah, yes. The chaos of being home all day and doing school as well as life in one house. Whew! But it is worth it...cindy had a great idea - take a day to tackle it all!
Hi, I stumbled onto your blog somehow -- I can't remember where I started! Just looking for some encouragement and new inspiration . . . I am a mom in the trenches just like you. Sometimes it gets overwhelming trying to keep on top of Everything, but when you think about it, we wouldn't have it any other way!! Blessings!!!
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