Why I Love Homeschooling....

So last week I told you why I hated homeschooling.....so this week I'll tell you why I love it!

1.  THE BOY.....
He is so cool.  I have had so much fun getting to know him over the last 13 years.  He is one of the most intelligent people I've ever known.  He is a quick study.  He is obedient.  He likes to please authority....which makes living with him very pleasant.  He LOVES history and I've learned so much history by "teaching" him.  He LOVES guitar and he's getting really good.  He LOVES the Steelers and Call of Duty and PS3 anything and texting and swimming and hanging out with his Dad and his friends.  He's really nice to his brothers and sisters and I just really enjoy him.

2.  THE GIRL......
She is soooooo much like me it is not even funny!  She feels things so deeply.  She is absolutely overflowing with questions and longs to KNOW stuff and people.  She is deeply guarded and slow to open up and trust people.  She is a hard worker.  She works soooooo hard.  Life and learning, in a traditional textbook way, are not easy for her....but she has an incredible work ethic.  She also has a great memory for events....not facts so much.....but REALLY remembers details of events.  It is uncanny!  She LOVES arts and crafts and listening to stories.  She loves to "write". She has an incredible imagination.  She is athletically gifted.  She adores babies and cooking.  No one would ever call her an easy child.....but she is absolutely delightful!

3.  THE TWINKIE GIRL.....
She is a lot like THE BOY.  She is smart.  She has her ducks in a row.  She is easy.  She is compliant.  She longs to please.  She also cares a lot about other people.  She is neat and organized.  She LOVES to dance and sing and ADORES her little sister.  She loves to snuggle and to take care of people.  I am enjoying watching her come into her own.

4.  THE TWINKIE BOY....aka Randy Jr.
He is a miniature Randy.  He is TOUGH as nails but SWEET and tenderhearted.  ALL BOY!  DIRTY....MESSY.....KNUCKLE HEAD!  However....you would be hard pressed to find anyone who wanted  to be loved more or accepted.  Sweet, sweet, sweet, mess!  LOVE MY TWINKIE BOY.  He also has a lot of learning struggles.  He also works VERY hard.  Loves to snuggle.  Loves to play with his big brother.  Loves to play outside.  Can't wait to see what the Lord will do with his life!

5.  THE BABY
She is FUNNY!  Loves to make us laugh.  So silly.  Loves to entertain.  She is a bit flighty....has trouble focusing at times....but REALLY smart and if she does listen she has an amazing memory.  She is very neat.  She likes to be fancy....but cherishes comfort.  She likes soft fancy clothes.  Hates itchy stuff and hates anything not girly!  She loves to hug people and is very outgoing and friendly. 

They are the best part of homeschooling.  I have LOVED getting to know my kids.  The good parts.  The bad parts.  The strengths and the weaknesses.  I have LOVED living life with them.  For me homeschooling is not about academics.  It is certainly where we spend a large portion of our time and certainly has it's place but academics can be learned at home, at school....private/public/charter....wherever.  For me homeschooling is about living life....all of it....while learning together.  It is about transferring OUR values to OUR children in a very intentional way.  It is about BUILDING REAL and lasting relationships with one another, parent and child....and sibling to sibling.  It is not about "keeping" them from the real world.  We live in the real world.  It is about guiding them and teaching them along the way how to navigate the real world.  It is not about "sheltering" them.  It is about allowing them to grow strong, while in a safe and loving environment, so that when they are strong and when they are removed from our protection they will be ready to stand strong. 

Other bonuses.....
1.  Their teacher and their mom always see eye to eye :)
2.  We never have a family/school calender conflict.
3.  I never have a disagreement with the curriculum.
4.  My children are never too far behind or too far ahead.  They are always exactly where they need to be.

I do not think homeschooling makes you a better parent.  Some of the best parents I know (ie. Shay and Linda) sent their kids to public school the entire way through.  Some of the strangest parents I know (I won't give an example....because that would just be RUDE) homeschool.  I think homeschooling is a choice.  I love the choice we've made.  I don't try to talk people into or out of homeschooling.  I think it is a great option.  NOT THE RIGHT OPTION....not even the best option for everyone.....I think we all need to pray, invest, and love our kids and our spouses and thank God for his grace which covers all our mess ups.  Believe me.....I have plenty and unfortunately...my kids often have a front row seat....so thankful for grace!

Anyway....there you have it....Why I love and why I hate homeschooling!
Love
Kim

 


They are why I homeschool and They are why I love it!

Why I hate homeschooling....

You often hear people on both sides of the schooling issue say what they LOVE about their school choice.....but as a career homeschooler.....I want to keep it real and while I do LOVE homeschooling there is a lot about it that I hate.  So following is my list of what I hate about homeschooling:
1. Sometimes I want to be just a mommy.  I get tired of having to be the mean old teacher!  I feel like I am ALWAYS correcting my children!  I want to pack lunches in cute lunchboxes with notes wishing them a great day.  I want to dress my kids in adorable back to school clothes and buy all those irresistible back to school supplies! 

and here's their first day of school picture....no cute lunchboxes, random outfits, and blankets????  I mean don't get me wrong.  I know it's shallow and yes I think they are adorable....but I don't know it would be fun to go shopping for all that cuteness!
I want to meet their teachers and help in their classrooms.  I want to be a room mother.  I want to be the chaperon on the field trip.  I want to go to teacher conferences and hear the teacher tell me, "while they may be struggling with this or that they sure are a sweet child"....or "while they may talk at inappropriate times they sure are a math whiz".....I want some feedback.  I want to know I am doing okay.  I want to know they are doing okay.  I want them to do all the teacher work.....and I just want to be a Mommy! 


    2.  My house is NEVER clean!  By never....I mean never.

Notebooks clutter the counters.

We always trying to grow something or make something, or build something on the kitchen table!

There are always dishes in the sink.....As soon as I load and start the dishwasher....more dishes appear!

Messy, messy, messy house and it drives me CrAzY!

   3.   It is expensive to buy all that curriculum!  I saw on a news program recently that in public schools they spend an average of $9,500 per student per year.  So that would give me right around $50,000 a year.  I could have a NICE school for that.  Unfortunately, I only get to spend a small fraction of that a year and that is still a LOT of money.  My $1,000 divided by 5 doesn't always get me EVERYTHING I want....but that is all I can afford!  Curriculum cost MUCHO!


  4.  It can get REALLY boring.....especially in the winter.  Everyday often seems the same.  Crazy, wild, busy, yet the same.  After about 5 months I'm usually getting pretty bored!


  5.  You do miss out on the holiday parties, and fundraisers, and field days, and school programs....I REALLY want to be a room mother!  I want to dress them up at Halloween and send them off to school parties. I want to make Indian head dresses and Pilgrim hats and have a feast. I want to play Secret Santa. I want to buy teacher gifts. I want to make Valentines. I want to have Easter Egg Hunts. I want to help out at field day......I want to have end of year parties.  I want to go door to door selling wrapping paper.....I want to sit and watch my kids be adorable in school programs......I do miss the fun of school!


  6.  Finally, I hate homeschooling because I am 36 and for some reason algebra is still a relevant part of my daily existence....and believe you me....I could live without that!

  7.  I hate when I tell people we homeschool and they then proceed to try to convenience me to not homeschool.  I don't try to convenience anyone to homeschool and I would appreciate the same courtesy.  I think schooling is a family choice.  I think each family is different and each child is different.  I trust parents will make the best decisions for their children and I REALLY wish others would return the favor!  Most people are gracious and interested but there is a segment of the population on either side of the issue that think it is their personal responsibility to convert those on the other side!




So if I hate it so much, why do I do it?
Because as much as I hate it.....I love it more!
Tomorrow I'll try to post Why I LOVE homeschooling.....
Nothing is ever simple but these are the things I don't like about homeschooling!
Kim

Meet Stella Jean

Have you ever seen such a bundle of preciousness?

We got to spend about 4 hours this morning with this sweet, sweet, baby girl!  She is my first cousin.

Boy are we smitten!  We passed her around and loved on her and enjoyed visiting with Amy (her mom/my aunt).  Such a sweet time!  I was at kids camp last week when she was born so I was itching to see her!

Randy couldn't believe how little she was!

Here's my other cousin, Knox, and Stella Jeans big brother!  What a sweet boy!

I can't believe I didn't get a picture of THE GIRL, because she was a baby hog!  Randy got some on his phone.  She definitely enjoyed holding Baby Stella!

Stella is a good baby, she hardly made so much as a peep!

So happy for Amy, Ryan, and Knox!!!!

What a wonderful way to spend our morning!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Kim

PS. No I still don't want another baby....although I do want to babysit!

After School Fun

One of my goals this year is to not schedule much during the school day.  In the past we've had speech, appointments, visits to Nanny's etc. that would often take place during school hours and we would rearrange our school day or just call it a day.  In my old age :)  and with my recent influx of students I am becoming less flexible and accommodating!

So our afternoons are often filled with appointments.  Yesterday as soon as we finished school we headed off to spend the next 3 hours at the dentist!  We also spent $750!  6 cleanings and one set of X-rays is not cheap! YIKES!!!!  That is why my kids only get to go once a year!  Unfortunately we have to go again next week....Randy is due is annual cleaning and TWINKIE BOY had a cavity!  I was so upset! None of my kids had ever had a cavity.....I'm not terribly surprised though, because I do have to fight him to brush his teeth....come to think of it I actually have to fight him to do pretty much anything :/ !  However, that is another story! So anyway next week will be another $250......but that is okay.....It won't be due again until next year and hopefully by then we will have dental insurance!!!  A girl can dream :)

ANYWAY....I did of course get some pictures!  Say Aaaaaaaaah!  My sweet Twinkie Boy

I must say he is being much more cooperative with brushing today!

Reportedly, the BOY is doing a good job with his cleaning, especially with having braces!

TWINKIE GIRL got an A+ on her brushing!

(surprise, surprise!)

And this is the reason I go to my dentist....

LOVE me some Kelly!

THE GIRL also got a good report...they said she has been doing a much better job on brushing!

yeah!

And it was THE BABY's first cleaning.....

She was soooooo EXCITED!

No problems at all...she hopped right up and LOVED it!  Her teeth were also nice and clean!

So we all got new toothbrushes, new floss, new toothpaste, and the little ones got a sticker and a prize from the treasure chest!!!!

oh and they hooked THE BOY up with some special flosser things to make flossing with braces easier!

So 3 hours later (and a lot broker) we headed out all nice and shiny.....and that is how we spent our afternoon!

I thought I was there a long time....until I met a lady in the waiting room who was the Mom to 11 and although she only had herself and one of her sons (her children were all grown) there for a cleaning I heard about how she would come when her children were young and they would be there ALL day!

Whew....can't imagine that bill.....I just hope they had dental insurance!

Well School is back in session and the pace is picking up around here.  Wow....I enjoyed summer.....but I do like the routine that school brings....I know I posted last spring about what I wanted to teach this year....but here is what we are actually doing:

After getting ready, breakfast, and chores we have family Bible Time.  As a family we are going through a great devotional book called Teaching Hearts Training Minds which are family devotions based on the shorter catechism.  The youth at our church are going to be working on learning the catechism and our churches youth guru recommended this book.  It is good.  I am learning so much!  What is the catechism?  It is a sort of summary of doctrine.  It poses questions and answers and uses scripture to support the answers.  My prayer and one of my parenting/homeschooling goals is to send my children out with a strong and solid Biblical Worldview.  Along with the Teaching Hearts Training Minds book we are reading another book called Catechism Kids for the younger kids.  It is just written at a younger level and uses stories.  It also involves memorizing short questions and answers.  We do Bible in the den on the couch.

After Bible we have writing time.  Writing takes place around the kitchen table.  We are using a curriculum called Writing with Ease by Susan Wise Bauer.  We have different levels for the different groups of kids but it follows the same basic principles.  The kids do copywork and narration on alternating days.  The younger kids have short segments of copywork and a written model while the older kids listen to a dictation and copy without a model and with correct spelling and punctuation and the passages are much longer.  The little kids narrate to me and watch me write their narrations.  I point out capital letters and punctuation and we focus on making sure our answers are complete thoughts and not fragments.  The older kids narrate answers to themselves and then write their own narrations.  Most of their narrations are short summaries and they are focusing on not including to many details (perhaps I should focus my writing on that as well :)

After family writing time....it gets a little crazy....THE BOY and I stay at the kitchen table and do Math.  He is doing Algebra this year.  We use the Saxon curriculum.  So far so good.  But we are only on day 3 so we will see if Mom can keep up!  While we work on math the rest of the kids have about a half our of outside play in our backyard.  I open the kitchen window and can see and hear them.  It works well on days they get along and stay outside...so I am trying to train them to do so.  However....I can imagine there will be days that I am screaming out the window for them to stop fighting or days where they are in and out so much that the dog gets out and I have to chase her around the neighborhood!  Never a dull moment :)

After I do THE BOY'S math instruction and check the practice problems I give him his assignment and he keeps working.  The little ones come inside and I send them upstairs to the loft and they can play with special toys I've set out for the day or they can play in their rooms.  This is the time I use to work on THE GIRLS reading.  We do her reading in the den on the couch.  We are using the Barton Reading and Spelling System, which it an Orton-Gillingham (the best) influenced one-on-one tutoring program.  It is very expensive but it is also very effective!  This is sometimes a great part of the day and it is sometimes a not great part of the day.  It depends on THE GIRL and THE MAMAS attitude for the day.  It is VERY tedious and difficult work for the GIRL and it is at times frustrating for the MAMA.  I must say however that the joy I have at watching her growth in this area is inexpressible.  Slow and steady!

Okay....so now I call down the TWiNKS and THE BABY and we get busy on their phonics lessons.  We do their phonics on the couch in the den.  We are using a program called Phonics Pathways.  I only spend about 15 minutes on formal phonics instruction each day for them.  While they are doing Phonics THE BOY is usually finished with Math and upstairs in his room practicing guitar.  The girl usually sits in the den with us and completes some simple phonics worksheets from a company called Explode the Code.

As soon as THE BOY finishes guitar he starts history.  For History this year he is reading Joy Hakims A History of US.  His history reading will be supplemented with a weekly quiz.  The book series he is reading has 11 volumes and after each volume he will have a cumulative test.  He also has 5 papers due in history this year:  A paper focusing on North Carolina during the Colonial Period, a Paper about being President in a new nation, Two  papers about any of the people we have studied this year, and  a paper on any topic of interest pertaining to the years study.  He will also have 6 projects due this year including: making a colonial brochure to entice Europeans to come and settle in the colonies, making a Revolutionary War timeline, a fact scavenger hunt using Internet and library research skills, making a diorama of a safe house or slave ship, writing questions to ask in an interview of 2 World War 2 veterans-he will then conduct the interview and have it videotaped.  Finally, we will enrich his study of American History by periodically showing videos from The American Heritage Series with Historian David Barton.  This series presents a providential view of American History.  While he works on history I read a chapter book to the four little ones.  Currently we are reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  We are still hanging out on the couch while we read.

Now we are all done and we head outside for about 15 minutes of structured activity with mom.  aka. PE.  Right now we are learning to dribble a soccer ball with the inside of our foot.  By we are learning I mean me!  The kids enjoy laughing at me!

After a bit of a laugh and some fresh air we come back inside and we all go the the school room and sit at the table and do Geography.  We are taking a Roadtrip Across the US.  I think this will be a fun part of our school!

LUNCHTIME....in the kitchen!

After lunch: I do cursive handwriting with THE GIRL and printing handwriting with THE TWINKIES and THE BABY.  We use a curriculum called Handwriting Without Tears. While we do handwriting in the schoolroom THE BOY is also in the schoolroom working on his work from Co-op.  Since Co-op hasn't started back yet he uses this time to study/review Spanish for the upcoming year. 

THE BOY then goes to his room or mine and does his reading.  He will read about 10 novels or so this year and right now is reading a book called Stink Alley, which is the story of 12 year old, recently orphaned,  Lizzy Tinker who has spent the last 6 years living in Holland.  She is part of a group of religious refugees who left England in order to worship how they choose.  The story takes place in 1614.  While THE BOY reads the little ones watch a video or TV and I do Math with THE GIRL.  She is doing Horizons math.

Then....I do Math with THE TWINKieS and THE BABY, followed by their Explode the Code phonics worksheets and their Wordly Wise Vocabulary Lesson.  They are also doing Horizons math.  THE BOY does his Wordly Wise Vocabulary Lesson while I do Math with the Little ones and THE GIRL has a break.

Now the babies are done so they play while THE GIRL has Storytime. We are reading Detective in Togas right now.  After her storytime I do Grammar with her and THE BOY.  This completes THE GIRLS day and then I do Spelling with THE BOY to finish off his day. 

Now it is around 2:00 (if I'm lucky) and it is ROOMTIME!

When Co-op Starts back....
The Boy will have:
Physical Science
Art
Writing
and
Spanish

The Girl will have:
Music
Astronomy
Early American History
Art
Spanish

The Little Ones will have:
Storytime with related activity
Science related to story theme
Art related to story theme

So what I had thought we would do and what we are doing is not exactly as I had originally planned....but our days are FLYING by.  Having them ALL in school is BUSY! So pray for me to be diligent, organized, and to remain calm!  Pray for THE TWINKIE BOY to OBEY.....UGH!  Pray for THE GIRL to progress with her reading.  Pray for Randy to find a good job....soon!  If you think of us....please pray :)
Love you all!
Kim

Children's Camp, Boston, and Nanny's

Well we have just arrived home from Children's Camp 2011

Whew and it was fun!

Randy and I both went with THE GIRL and 18 other kids and 5 other adults from our church!

While the 3 of us were at Children's Camp in South Carolina, THE BOY was with some of the adults and youth from our church in Boston, Massachusetts on a Mission Trip.

THE TWINKIES and THE BABY spent 4 days at Nanny and Pa's!

We all reunited tonight and while we all had a GREAT time on our varies adventures it was nice to all be back together and to be able to share the highlights!  I was particularly happy to see The Boy.  It had been too long!

Jennifer's Blog

Does a fantastic job of detailing our Camp Adventures so I will refrain for rehashing all that here.
I spent over an hour uploading 107 photos of all the RBC kids...and was so excited to share....but apparently it overloaded my blog :(....so check out Jennifer's we had a lot of the same general photos.  I may post some later....and I may not!  I am very technically challenged!

The Boy had so much fun visiting with the Chasteen's, hanging with the RBC follks, meeting the people of Metford, sightseeing, going to the baseball game, and serving the community.  He said it is definitely something he would want to do again.  Love that he had the opportunity to go.

The Twinkies and The Baby had a Blast at Nanny's.
They went swimming, played in the sprinkler, went to Nanny's church, picked blueberries, tried Tutti Fruity, went on a hike, watered Nanny's flowers.....and I'm sure much more!
I've enjoyed hearing about all their adventures.

Love that everyone had such a great time.
Welp.....tomorrow's Monday....so gotta finish getting ready for school!
The bell rings sharply at 8:30!
and I am soooo not ready!

Cleaning Frenzy!

Whew....what a whirlwind.  I've been gearing up this week for camp and for school.  So I've been a cleaning, packing, planning, decluttering maniac all week long!  We leave tomorrow for children's camp and are so excited....but when we get back Sunday everything has to ready because school begins on Monday! I want to start off with a neat house.  So I have been working!  I so wish I had taken more before and after photos....because...... it is looking good....finally and I know it won't stay this way for long.  I'd like to have photographic evidence of how nice it looked for a while.  I even did closets and cabinets and drawers!  The good news is that we are leaving tomorrow morning and not coming back until Sunday....which means my house will be looking good until at least late Sunday :) and that my friend may be a record!

I finally thought to take a before and after when I got to the laundry room....so here it is before

I know....it was bad...but if you had seen my kids rooms and closets and game cabinet....you would not think this was too bad!

and here it is after:

TA-DA!

When life is CrAzY and I feel like I can't control my circumstances or feel overwhelmed....then I clean!

So my house is looking good these days!

Ahhhh....now if I could just get it to stay clean.

So Randy had started to cut the grass tonight, I wanted the yard straightened up before we left too, and we ended up having an impromptu neighborhood gathering and as we sat and and watched Randy my kind neighbor felt bad for Randy sweating away.  Not only did Brian feel bad for Randy but he took it a step further and went up and got his Mac Daddy lawn mower and cut our grass and gave the kiddos a ride!

Thanks Brian!

Ya'll are GREAT neighbors!

We are going to have to have a cookout our treat!

He is a sweet yard angel!  He came by and weed eated around our house while we were away too!

He is WAY to nice!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our neighbors!

Night!

PS

I'm going to try to blog at camp but I'll have to see how the connection is.