Park days

 

Did you homeschool at the park if there are no pictures to show for it?

One of my goals for the month of September is to spend 3 days a week doing lessons outside, so far so good!

Week one

 

One week down, 35 more to go…

We did a semi-soft start this year - whatever I wasn’t prepared for, we didn’t do. I highly recommend this method. As I get older, a lot of my homeschool panic has subsided - common sense takes over and you realise how things build on each other, that children don’t need to know everything about everything from the word “go” and it’s actually helpful to have some gaps lest we think we know all and stop pursuing our education. 

V was very disappointed that she missed participating in the country fair…AGAIN. The timing of summer camp and the fair is such that throwing together much of anything before the fair starts would be unwise, so we decided that we will be spending our afternoons working on things that she can put into the fair next year. She needs to learn how to use a sewing machine, and I need placemats and napkins. It’s a win-win! The plan is to work together on a set for the house and then once she’s had that practice she can make another set for her to keep for the fair. I guess we will also be outfitting a hope chest. 

As for mom, I’m just trying to stay sane with the 3 year old. As much outside time as we can muster, as much reading time as he lets us finish, as much play dough time as we let him have. It’s been hard knowing he’s the last and I’m trying to savor all of it, but I’m also afraid of time just slipping away. No one tells you how melancholy parenting can make you.

Until next time

Final preparations

 

So much has changed here in the past couple of weeks. Finishing out homeschool planning and prep has been very anxiety-ridden for me this year. I’m still debating whether or not we are going to start on Monday or put it off for another week.

Regardless of what I choose, I’ll be putting 3 kids onto the bus this coming Monday. It’s very bittersweet, if I’m being honest, but the truth is that the ones left at home need more of my time and beyond them, I need more of my time. Having finally pursued an ADHD diagnosis, I’m currently in the limbo of therapy and doctor visits and medication and the reality that all of this means new experiences and expectations for me. Instead of jumping from 1 homeschooler plus toddler to 3 homeschoolers plus toddler, we decided to keep things as easy as we can for me, take some stuff off my plate so that I can acclimate and adjust.

In the meantime I’m putting on a brave face and looking forward to slightly slower days - as slow as a four year old boy will allow, naturally. I’m very much hoping that V and I will be able to concentrate on much of what has been left off in the past couple of years - namely needlework, among other domestic sort of crafts. She’s been wanting to get into soap making and do more candle making and I’d like to help make that happen for her. 

At the advice of Chris, I’ve sat aside a few of M’s school books for her and I to use on weekends, and I’m hopeful that she’ll still want to read about birds and stars and fairy tales.

Anyone else’s plans not going as, uh, planned?

Are you ready for the new school year?

little moments

Just some of the little moments in life lately, cuddling with my nearly 5th grader, Mario Kart with the biggest boy, life skills, and a dragon protecting the books. We finally finished the 23/24 homeschool year and we are ready to go (officially) for the 24/25 year. Now it's a matter of collecting the books, but before all of that, we rest. 

 

Forgiveness

 

Today is forgiveness Sunday and the start of Great Lent. I was blessed to attend Liturgy followed by Forgiveness Vespers with 3 of the kiddos. It was the first time I had done forgiveness vespers, in the past I skipped almost all of the special Lent services but since the kids are getting older I want them to both see me participating more as well as participate themselves in the life of the church. 

It was especially sweet to see M sort of participating in the way only a 5 year old can. Throwing herself to the ground for full prostrations - as everyone else stood up, and then only forgiving certain people while refusing to ask for forgiveness: “I don’t need that”. 

Tomorrow is “Clean Monday” and the start of “Clean Week”, which we will try to keep by doing a bit of spring cleaning. The weather looks like it will cooperate by being cold and rainy so there will be no temptation to visit the park. 

I know this is a bit of a weird entry, but I wanted to check in now at the start of Lent because I’ll be mostly signed off from social media in favor of posting here. It’s nearly midnight now, and I’m exhausted, so goodnight! I shall “see” you all soon.

Regards,

 Allison