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mommy4ever
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| Posted: Feb 18 2014 at 6:02pm | IP Logged
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We are feeling completely restless. I know our year has not gone as planned. Dh being home for the last 4 months, and looks like the rest of the school year, really through a kink into things, he was in a accident and it's taking time to heal. Because he isn't working, I've had to do more, in terms of earning money, managing money, dealing with doctors and insurance.... meaning it's harder to homeschool.
It's February. It's cold, and miserable(well last 2 days sunny) and we're tired of being cooped up. We're doing a few changes.
DD10 is now permitted to bring the one pooch for a walk around the block. She feel sooo good about it, she's feeling like she's contributing. She has also made a goal to improve her fitness so she can go harder in hockey. So she is spending time on the treadmill.
I have noticed 2 things. One, she feels better, less mopey, and she's more focused in her school work.
I am also revamping ;) our year.
I finally decided to scrap All-About-Spelling. As good as it is, as much as we both like it.... we just don't DO it. Scrap Easy Grammar, dump online Social Studies.
We did much better with CHC Catholic Speller. So we're going back to it. As well as Language of God. And doing an eclectic approach to Social Studies.
However, CHC's shipping is pricey to Canada. I do think it's well worth it, as the curricula is excellent. SO, I ordered for next year as well, to offset the cost of shipping. Done.
CHC are the books we've completed, or 95% completed every time we used them. I didn't order this past year because I HAD these other books from dd14, prior to discovering CHC. However, the savings of not ordering, just wasn't worth it, because we just aren't getting to it. We've liked other things we've tried, but not everything. Going back to tried and true :) We can get things done now :)
Anyone else re-vamping for this year? I'll be so happy when the books arrive :) And a head start on planning next year.
__________________
Mom to 4,
1 graduated June 2012
1 in Catholic school
2 homeschooled(one considering art school!)
ardently praying for a new addition to our family.
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JennGM
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A wise friend (that I met here) shared her philosophy with me some years back that she tries to not change curriculum within a school year unless it's a dire and obvious need. She feels she made a commitment and shouldn't give into temptation when things get tough.
I tend to agree with her. I do think that revamping, revising, and refreshing is necessary, particularly at the low points of the school year. But I think the siren call of a different curriculum that will make everything better can be a temptation. It can take the focus off of self-awareness and self-discipline and self-improvement and putting all blame of failure on the curriculum itself.
This is coming from me, a mom who has failed the past few years due to many reasons. I have several subjects that don't work because we don't use it. So don't think I'm preaching. I'm just sharing that because it was a huge "aha" moment for me.
But I am in complete empathy -- this is a low time of year. I'm taking the opportunity of a late Lent to revamp a little and recharge our batteries.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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mommy4ever
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| Posted: Feb 18 2014 at 8:21pm | IP Logged
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I generally agree. I don't think I've ever quit a curricula but it's just not happening, so I am going back to tried and true. I should never have switched. Hindsight is 20/20.
__________________
Mom to 4,
1 graduated June 2012
1 in Catholic school
2 homeschooled(one considering art school!)
ardently praying for a new addition to our family.
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Maria Rioux
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| Posted: Feb 19 2014 at 6:12am | IP Logged
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Hi, Jenn!
Ahhhh, the Wonder-Painless Program. I admit, I do keep looking for that thing. ;) One thing Willa said years ago is so true: in order to use any new thing well, you have to familiarize yourself with it. That takes time and effort, and, too often, that time and effort could be better spent. We've been at this for 25 years, and as our youngest just turned 6, we have a good many years to go. I like to use the summer to look over new materials and adjust/tweak our curricula. And I do sometimes switch things around mid year. As happened this year. Sam loves math, but Will finds it challenging and he was getting discouraged. Plus I was getting concerned which also, oddly, made me impatient. We'd been working on certain things for years and he'd seem to get it and then, math amnesia! Yikes! Then I heard about this math program, CTCmath. Wow. I am so glad we bit the bullet and bought this thing! Will(11) and Sam (6) work on it together and they love it. You can pick whatever you want to work on, there's a great tutorial, then 10 question/drill sets. Will does the first 8 and then lets Sam try the last two. They are both doing great! And they're having quite a lot of fun, too. Sam now knows how negative numbers work (though I will have to say, philosophically, what the heck is a negative number? And zero is not a number, either. It's a conversation we sometimes have around here, and a bit of a bugaboo of mine. :))
Anyway, homeschooling is not easy and winter does not help. But spring is coming, and Lent reminds us to forget ourselves in loving service. Thank God Lent comes every year because I sure can use the reminder.:)
God bless you all!
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 19 2014 at 8:05am | IP Logged
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I am revamping a bit, especially in figuring out where we are in the year, when we'll finish, etc... I did modify ds's history and science a little, and I have to recognize that we'll be doing well to get through half of the group activities I had planned to cover this year (picture study, music, sassafrass science, art).
I did start using Xtra Math and subscribed to the online version of Explode the Code for my 7 year old. I've used the paper version for years, but it has been hard to stay on top of things for him, and he loses his book constantly.
But my crisis is not primarily in the materials, it is in the new and needy addition to our family.
I also have a terrorist toddler. All toddlers are terrorists, but he takes the cake. Hhe has been so much work since he was born, and he is just plain draining now that he is almost 3. He represents three years of crisis mode, and things are not getting better, though I recognize from knowing what others go through that it could be much, much worse. How I landed the loudest kid ever followed by the lightest sleeper ever, I'm not sure 
My sister currently has a non-napper as well, and she asked me where the homeschool moms were whose kids don't nap reliably, and I am thinking they just don't have time to blog 
Anyway, I've never done much by way of organized toddler activities, but I think I might have to if I ever want to read aloud to my kids again. We attempted a jumpstart with The Saturdays, and all of us loved the book, but we are halfway through after a month, and every session was misery with my 9 year old finishing half the chapters for me as I wrangled the youngest two. Of course, I feel like I have exactly 40 minutes each day where I'm not holding/nursing the baby and he isn't screeching for me. Just sitting at the computer to type this versus typing one thumbed on my phone while the baby nurses to sleep (he won't let me hold a book or even move to turn pages on the ipad!!) puts my shower is serious jeopardy.  So, while that sounds like whining, what I mean is that I don't know how to stay two steps ahead of my three year old these days, but that is the kind of midyear planning I really should get on top of.
Meanwhile, my 5 year old has slipped between the cracks. I had really hoped I would be in a better place to start a program of some sorts with him after the first of the year, but it is halfway through Feb.  I tried ABCMouse.com since it was contained and independent, but while he liked it, I hated it.
And, that s all the baby would allow for.  I didn't mean to just complain and wanted to finish in a less negative way, but there it is 
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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mommy4ever
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| Posted: Feb 19 2014 at 8:40am | IP Logged
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Lindsay, I had 3 babies like that. Light sleeper/nonsleeper I wondered if I'd ever sleep again. She then turned into a high needs toddler.
What turned the corner for us, was a trip to the chiropractor. It was out of desparation. Years of sleep deprivation. We went for 4 visits over 2 weeks, and it was like a switch! I wish I'd known years before that it could help. Even now, dd10(my baby), asks to go when she starts sleeping poorly, or feeling off. It always seems to help.
I went that first round very skeptical. I figured it wouldn't harm her, so why not. And the 'popcorn doctor' experience was life changing. Might be something to consider for the toddler and the baby...My brother brought his child to chiropractor for constipation issues as an infant. She suffered so much, and the visits always improved things. It took more than 2 weeks for the adjustment to stick, but it started to help immediately. It amazes me how much can be helped.
This was my experience with the challenging babies. I wish I'd known with my oldest, I think it could have changed alot for us.
__________________
Mom to 4,
1 graduated June 2012
1 in Catholic school
2 homeschooled(one considering art school!)
ardently praying for a new addition to our family.
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JennGM
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| Posted: Feb 19 2014 at 10:59am | IP Logged
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Maria Rioux wrote:
Hi, Jenn!
Ahhhh, the Wonder-Painless Program. I admit, I do keep looking for that thing. ;) One thing Willa said years ago is so true: in order to use any new thing well, you have to familiarize yourself with it. That takes time and effort, and, too often, that time and effort could be better spent. We've been at this for 25 years, and as our youngest just turned 6, we have a good many years to go. I like to use the summer to look over new materials and adjust/tweak our curricula. And I do sometimes switch things around mid year. As happened this year. Sam loves math, but Will finds it challenging and he was getting discouraged. Plus I was getting concerned which also, oddly, made me impatient. We'd been working on certain things for years and he'd seem to get it and then, math amnesia! Yikes! Then I heard about this math program, CTCmath. Wow. I am so glad we bit the bullet and bought this thing! Will(11) and Sam (6) work on it together and they love it. You can pick whatever you want to work on, there's a great tutorial, then 10 question/drill sets. Will does the first 8 and then lets Sam try the last two. They are both doing great! And they're having quite a lot of fun, too. Sam now knows how negative numbers work (though I will have to say, philosophically, what the heck is a negative number? And zero is not a number, either. It's a conversation we sometimes have around here, and a bit of a bugaboo of mine. :))
Anyway, homeschooling is not easy and winter does not help. But spring is coming, and Lent reminds us to forget ourselves in loving service. Thank God Lent comes every year because I sure can use the reminder.:)
God bless you all! |
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Hi Maria!
I'm intrigued by the math,thanks for the recommend.
I was thinking the same about Lent.....
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Feb 19 2014 at 11:26am | IP Logged
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I am not afraid to abandon ship if things are not working. In fact, I read somewhere that homeschooling moms really need to give themselves permission to move on from programs that didn't work without feeling guilty.
So, while I do feel sad when programs don't meet our needs, I no longer:
A. Feel guilty about wasted money/time
B. Keep trying to make it work somehow
C. Beat myself up about it
I try to to think only this: We tried it. It's not working. Let's move on to something better for us.
Some programs that flopped at our house:
1. Apologia science
2. Primary/Intermediate Language Lessons
3. Faith and Life series for older children
4. Math Mammoth
These are all good and worthy programs and are excellent for some families.. just not mine.
And that's OK! If one thing worked for everyone, there wouldn't be nine hundred bazillion products on the market. 
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Maryan
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| Posted: Feb 19 2014 at 11:53am | IP Logged
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I feel the same as Melinda.
Flops in our house (that everyone else loves)
1. IEW -try it every year and... no. Exception: Fix It
2. CHC
3. Apologia science (ditto Melinda)
If something is not working, I don't have time for that! I switch to something that works right away or in January if I don't have time to find something else.
__________________
Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
A Lee in the Woudes
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guitarnan
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Our flop list:
Saxon math
Learning Latin (no program worked for us!)
Wordly Wise 3000
Tell Me More (language learning software - too many tech issues)
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JodieLyn
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CrunchyMom wrote:
I also have a terrorist toddler. All toddlers are terrorists, but he takes the cake. Hhe has been so much work since he was born, and he is just plain draining now that he is almost 3. He represents three years of crisis mode, and things are not getting better, though I recognize from knowing what others go through that it could be much, much worse. How I landed the loudest kid ever followed by the lightest sleeper ever, I'm not sure
My sister currently has a non-napper as well, and she asked me where the homeschool moms were whose kids don't nap reliably, and I am thinking they just don't have time to blog
Anyway, I've never done much by way of organized toddler activities, but I think I might have to if I ever want to read aloud to my kids again. We attempted a jumpstart with The Saturdays, and all of us loved the book, but we are halfway through after a month, and every session was misery with my 9 year old finishing half the chapters for me as I wrangled the youngest two. Of course, I feel like I have exactly 40 minutes each day where I'm not holding/nursing the baby and he isn't screeching for me. Just sitting at the computer to type this versus typing one thumbed on my phone while the baby nurses to sleep (he won't let me hold a book or even move to turn pages on the ipad!!) puts my shower is serious jeopardy. So, while that sounds like whining, what I mean is that I don't know how to stay two steps ahead of my three year old these days, but that is the kind of midyear planning I really should get on top of.
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That would be me. Actually individually the little guys aren't needy. It's more like hmmm I called them "co-conspirators" the other day. So leaving them to their own devices means that we end up with more crisis. But I have big kids that can help keep an eye on them and that helps.
We also are done with naps. I've only had one child out of 10 who napped past 2.. most gave up naps right at 2 the rest within a few months and one that made it just past 3.
I can't tell you how many things I read when my non-nappers were my oldest ones that would be how they need more sleep and I needed to make them nap.. and how many hours of sleep I lost because if they napped they'd stay up later and then still get up at the same time in the morning. Same number of hours of sleep whether it was at night or at nap. Luckily I quickly realized that those who said kids must have naps never met my kids and I'd rather be able to put them to bed and have a couple hours of down time in the evening and still get enough sleep at night. 
When it warms up enough somewhere with dirt or sand to dig and play with trucks and such will keep them occupied and out of trouble much better than winter when things like the boxes of corn starch call their names and tempt them to get it all over 
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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CrunchyMom
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My six month old is a very insistent cat napper. He needs his naps--all 150 of them!!
He wants me to hold him and lay down with him and not move an inch or breath a word. Its a good thing he is a total sweetie
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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mommy4ever
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| Posted: Feb 27 2014 at 8:56am | IP Logged
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Our new books arrived.... I really didn't want to give up on the old stuff... but know what? We just weren't doing it. Or not happy doing it when we did.
It was a huge sigh of relief.
DD10 sat down, with a big smile on her face, and got right to work in the new books. Now, it is a new book, it's novel, but we'd done those books 2 years previous, and it was easy to do. We stepped right back into it. Then we moved into everything else. We had our most productive day in a long time, and no tears, no whining... a little distracted..lol. But easy to redirect.
So happy I decided to go back to those books. I was only on the CHC website for 6 weeks, debating it. It was time.
__________________
Mom to 4,
1 graduated June 2012
1 in Catholic school
2 homeschooled(one considering art school!)
ardently praying for a new addition to our family.
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: It must be February
