A “Half Day” Journal of one (half) homeschoolin’ momma
Ed. Note: I didn’t think I’d be ready for the first day of school and you know what? I wasn’t. The classroom wasn’t clean and the lessons weren’t all in the planner. Are you kidding? I’m still ordering curriculum! We are still attempting to move the three girls into the classroom–a HUGE project which has completely stalled–and thus, the reference to the messy classroom. I can honestly say, though, that it was all good. Credit it to grace and my happy pills, maybe, but this first week back has been practically perfect in every a hundred very imperfect ways.
Here’s a synopsis of our first day back.
1:00 a.m.
Yes, Virginia, this is when my day started. For whatever reason, I could not SLEEP, so John and I watching Breaking Bad until 3:00.
I am nothing if not a rebel, yo.
7:00 a.m.
Not surprisingly, my eyes were glued shut at 7:00 a.m. Not so Angela, who, being good and sugared up after a breakfast of schultüte candy, woke me up with a “Mom! I reorganized my desk!”
Tell me again why I fill these schultütes with sugar? No, I’ll tell you. I do it because it’s one of their favorite traditions, started…um…let me check the archives here…five years ago after seeing Barbara blog about it. Thank you, Barbara!
Known as “tooter poopers” in these parts, schultütes are fairly easy and definitely worth it. In fact, this year Cate wanted to help me out and we had a giggly time in my bedroom assembling them.
(BTW: This year I got “creative” and went to an Asian market for some of the treats. This was a hit and miss venture on my part; they loved the fizzy pop can candy and the mango gummy chews, but the squirtable jelly straws? Not so much. “Next year, Mom?” Angela helpfully prompted. “Don’t forget the Kit Kats, Nerds, and Reeses. Those are my three very favorite candies”)
(“How about a nice rock?” I said.)
8:00 a.m.
My two little hens got dressed up for school and then changed into play clothes after the photos.
You’ll note that they didn’t forget to bring the teacher an apple.
They didn’t forget because I reminded them.
9:00 a.m.
Going with that whole “messy classroom” theme, I allowed Angela to spend part of her day building a castle out of cups.
There was a part of me that was a little bugged by this, because we’re studying Ancient History this year, not Medieval.
It’s a geeky homeschooling thing.
I tossed an Usborne castles book at her and called it good.
10:00
At 10:00 a.m. it was time for Math. I need have a designated time for Math because if I don’t, well, I’ll “forget” it. For that hour, then, I must make myself FOCUS.
Francis likes it when his mom’s focused.
He uses that time to count diaper wipes.
(Also? For those of you that have been paying attention, we have switched from Teaching Textbooks back to using Saxon Math exclusively. We can talk more about this later if you like.)
11:00 a.m.
I went to the post office to mail some books and this set us back a little bit. This, too, bothered me because I know my weakness as a homeschooling momma. If I don’t stay on track I don’t...stay on track, and I am not so unschooly as all that.
Philosophically speaking, I’m working on this. My goal is to find a reasonable balance--to stay on top of the Math and the grammar without being a slave to the workbook or schedule.
I joke that I’m a Seton Unschooler and you know, that’s really not far from the truth.
12:00 p.m.
If ever I won the lottery, one of the first things I’d do as a homeschooling mom is have our lunches catered. Seriously, do you really need to eat, kids? Can’t we just push on through and get our work done?
Instead, we take a break and clean off the table. Together we pray the Angelus, and when we come to “made known by the message of an angel”, we set this wee figurine in front of George.
He loves that part.
UPDATED LATER, after changing my mind about doing a whole “Day in the Life.”
I’m going stop here because I’ve lost my spunk. Serves me right, doesn’t it, for saying that everything was going so well? Today has been a harder, heavier day. All I want to do is sit on the deck and stare. Instead, I hear Our Lady’s voice in the depths of my heart: “Margaret, your children need you.”
And so away with me and toward them I go.
Many blessings on your Thursday.
Margaret, do you have an "extra" kid in that group picture of your kids? She looks as if she just kinda fits in with your crew, though! What's one more to homeschool, right?! Ha!
Mary
I also noticed the extra person. Who could she be? You have a great looking bunch of kids. They are blessed to have you for their mama.
Ha! The castle. You should have called it a ziggurat- that would have made the whole ancient history think legit, don't you think?
Day 2 here, and I have 4 kids not feeling well, 2 with ear infections (one of the twins perforated, even!) so I'm feeling a good deal less spunky today myself. Sigh.
Hugs!
Come one you people, the extra girl is her oldest son's good friend, don't you read this blog? (haha!)
See? I read you all the time. I love you. I will miss you. I understand. I will pray for you. I get it.
That's a lot of "I's"
Now about this post:
Lunch, same here. Totally same here. My kids are like, "It's almost 1:00 mom!" Me, "Well, let's just skip lunch today? No?" Might have to do PB&J's a little more often though.
And the counting handiwipes? Totally have one that does that too!! He counts bowls and pots and pans too. I know. He's good.
Love that you do the Angelus, we need to add that for every day. (we do it during Advent)
Oh, gosh, I have cups here, smaller ones, I might have to give in and occupy the kids. I don't know, will my patience be that of yelling to "pick up the dang cups!!"?
Sending love to you. My holy hour is Thursdays 5 PM, I cried through the whole thing. Just tears streaming. That's how school is going for us. BUT I'm not going to yell about sending them to public school!