Is it worth the struggle...

I'm struggling. Trying to decide if I've made the right decision in homeschooling this boy of mine. I'm 75% sure we can work it out. It may take a new plan, new schedule, compromises, new attitude, new expectations, new way of doing things. I keep going to that dark place that I don't want to be, and I think that this isn't going to work. But I have so much to teach him and who better to teach these things to than my own child. It saddens me. I don't like the person I become when I lose my patience and become mean. He has his strengths and weaknesses. He is stubborn and easily distracted. He is super smart and curious. I don't want to make him hate school. Or reading. Or handwriting.
I'm just not sure that it is worth the struggle.

First Day of First Grade for Luke

School was really great today! We did a lot of craft/art projects, so that I could get the kids used to sitting at the table in our new schoolroom. We did our calendar, prayed for a good school day, and even said the Pledge of Allegiance. We were in the classroom for 2 and 1/2 hours today. Without much fussing. I gave them one break to play and gave them a 10 minute limit. Before the time was up, Luke was back at the table ready to do another project. This week I'm taking it slow. Trying to get them used to being back in school. I'm trying to include Summer in learning this year. She's interested in some stuff and others she could care less about. 

Luke did not fuss or fight with me during the school day. He started out saying this morning "I hate school. I want you to send me off to school." But by the time it was over he was cool with it. I'm not sure how well it will go once I incorporate more "learning" into the day, but I have faith that he will stick with me. 

I'm also doing a chart this year that once complete can earn them a fun day with Mommy and/or Daddy. They get to put a sticker on the chart after the school day is complete and as long as they have less than 3 check marks on the board. They must follow the rules to not get check marks. It worked today. So we shall see what is to come. But as for now, I could not be happier with how school went today! I am one happy teacher!!! :-)

School was awesome today! :)

We did a read aloud about sea turtles and a guided reading book about plants. Sequencing, initial sounds, and simple subjects. I'm a happy teacher today!

If you don't have anything nice to say...

As a homeschooling mother, I just have to laugh when someone says that they feel sorry for Luke because he is homeschooled. It also makes me angry because it is as if THEY know what is best for MY child. Each person is an individual and what may be best for you will not be what is best for each and every person on this Earth.

My son is not socialized? Really?! We have friends with whom we visit, family with whom we hang out, kids we see at least once a week at a "social gathering" of homeschooled families, kids we socialize with at the library, zoo, museums, etc.

I do not pretend to have all the answers. As parents we do make mistakes. I can't say I have fully enjoyed the past year of homeschooling Luke. But I have seen him grow, mature, learn, discover, laugh, cry, get frustrated, and overcome obstacles that I would not have seen had he not be at home with me doing school. If my husband and I decide that our child needs more than I can offer him at a homeschool setting, then HE and I will decide that together. 

I know people have their best intentions in mind when they say things, but when you put your heart and soul into teaching your child yourself, it really puts a damper on the whole process when someone second guesses what you are doing. So, if you don't mind, and as your momma might say, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." 

Summer breaks suck for kids and moms

Going weeks without school work during the summertime makes it so difficult for the already reluctant student to start back and be expected to be eager to go back to work. Ok, maybe not be eager, but at least be compliant. Oh boy, this isn't going to be pretty!

Roof Construction for Spring Break

We took a late Spring Break because of roof construction on our house. I can only imagine how awful it's going to be to start back to school after almost 2 weeks away. We will probably only do school for a week before we have to start packing for Disney. But it will all be ok. I'm calm, cool, and collected. And I'm ready for a vacation!!!!

I can finally, honestly say that I love being a homeschool mom. It took several months and lots of fighting, but I think we have found our groove. I love this kid! He's so smart!!!

The boy has some incredible math skills

Kindergarten Math:
This kid is so smart! I know he gets most of his math brain from his daddy. So far this year we have worked on: fractions, patterns, shapes, counting and recognizing numbers to 100, counting by 2, 5 and 10, adding and subtracting one digit numbers, volume, measurement with weight and length (cm, in, oz, lb), estimation (<, >, =), the guessing jar - estimation, writing numbers, telling time, congruency, geo board (shapes), and I'm sure there are others I can't think of at this time. For the most part, Luke catches on to these within 1-3 lessons. He is just so smart!!! And that makes me happy!!!!

Reading success

Luke read so fluently today. His reading comprehension is incredible. We got finished with the lesson in about 15 minutes. (Lessons are still halved.) I could not be happier with this. And I thoroughly complimented him on his performance! :-)
Success!!

A half is sometimes better than a whole

Being stressed out to the max with reading lessons with Luke had worn me down. I decided that for both of our sakes, I needed to cut these lessons down. In half actually. He seems more willing to do the lesson and I don't put it off until I finally HAVE to do it. We may not get through the lesson book as quickly as the book wants us to, but we will get through with them and our world will be more peaceful!!

January 2012 - Second Semester of Kindergarten - A New Semester - A New Beginning

Not saying it's a good beginning. This week has been a real struggle. It always is a struggle when it comes to reading with Luke. He wants to clown around or look around or get up and play when it comes to the time for him to really WORK and practice his reading lessons. I am almost to the point of saying that I am sending him to public school next year. I can't see that my relationship with him is going to be made up of fighting, spanking, and yelling for the next 11 1/2 years. I am doing my best to alter the way I react to him when he is not ready to focus on his lesson. I am trying to be more understanding and more positive with him. It just gets so difficult to stay positive when he is constantly trying to get up or to not WANT  to do his work. And I wouldn't want to learn with someone threatening to spank me if I don't complete my work. However, he has to learn that it is important for him to complete his lessons! Not only is it SCHOOL, but it's a life lesson. You have to complete what you start. And it's not always going to be pleasant or easy. But it is necessary.

I can totally see how far he has come with reading in just one semester! We flipped back today to the first "story" in his lessons and it was 3 words. "See Me Eat" He is now reading multiple sentences and knows about periods and quotation marks. He can read about 85% of the words in his stories without sounding them out! I can see the rewards, but it's hard to see that when you fight every day just to get him to sound out a word he doesn't know right away.

He has a hard time pronouncing the "sh" sound. We work on it each day. He can say it, but it's not automatic. It comes out sounding between the "sh", "ch", and "th" sound. He struggles with any word that has an "n" in it. If it's at the beginning, he wants to add it at the end too. And vice versa. Sometimes if there is a word before another word that has an "n" in it, he will add an "n" to the next word. I know these are minor problems. And we work on them every time they come up. He writes his letters in a counterclockwise fashion instead of clockwise. Which I am now discovering, and have conveyed the concern I have for when we get to cursive writing. But we are working on this too.

 He is learning so much and I am so proud and I tell him each day. But I fear that the praise is lost because of the struggles it takes to get to the praise. :(

He's flat out lazy. He gets that from me. He doesn't WANT to write more than a few letters before he becomes "tired." He doesn't want to do more than a few math problems before he again becomes "tired." Same with reading. I just tell him "Sorry, dude! This is your school work and we aren't finished until the work is done."

He's a good kid. Very sweet, considerate, caring, smart. I just hope I'm doing what's right for him by homeschooling him this year. And I do really want to school him at home next year. But I struggle each day with that decision. God give me strength! Please!