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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 5:36pm | IP Logged
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I just can't seem to get my head into the gear of 'back to school' yet and we are half way through January. I feel like the multiple personalities homeschooler- the unschooler, classical schooler ant the list goes on!!
At this point I sort of want someone to fling me a daily routine and be done with it!! I can't seem to make up a plan for the life of me (and have spent way to many hours lately perusing blogs trying to come up with one).
Can anyone relate?
Any sage words?
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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Sage words: It's winter! (sorry, that's the best I can come up with - we have our good days and not so good (read: terrible) days around here too.... Go with what your family NEEDS.
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Kristin
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 5:53pm | IP Logged
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"I just can't seem to get my head into the gear of 'back to school' yet and we are half way through January. I feel like the multiple personalities homeschooler- the unschooler, classical schooler ant the list goes on!!"
I certainly can relate to this, Kristie! Spinning my wheels here with so many hopes, plans, and ideas that I just can't seem to get the ball rolling!
I keep trying focus my energies, to pick myself up by the bootstraps and make any effort I can to re-establish routine --- only to fall on my face within the week! 
Lately in prayer I sense that God is really allowing me to struggle here so that I will learn to depend on him more. It's so hard, I'm not used to such a feeling of helplessness!
Looking forward to hearing the responses others give here. Hope you get it sorted out and back on track soon!
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Bunch 'o Honey to my Honey Bunch and Mama to five - Noah 10y  , Rose 8y  , Dominic 2.5 y  , Oliver 16m 
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 5:56pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the words.
It's not that I am burnt out, I just can't seem to get rolling! After 9 years you would think I had a little more of this together.... 
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 6:28pm | IP Logged
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perhaps leaving yourself a bit more open ended on your schedule/routine.. put in the things that are the same.. your meals and sleep times and chores.. and then leave blocks for school.. then you can choose to do things on each day as the mood takes you.. but you're still holding yourself to doing "school" each day.
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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.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 7:30pm | IP Logged
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Good advice Jodie...
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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mariB
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| Posted: Jan 19 2009 at 6:20am | IP Logged
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It is hard to get the ball rolling after the holidays. I find it is so busy during the holidays with large amounts of company and preparation that January is a time where we gradually get back...it's kind of like waking up again. Maybe start with a few things...maybe the things YOU really like. I found getting everyone involved in teaching our 5 year old really helped this year. What I mean by teaching was picking one picture book and letting the kids help pick activities around that. We did Owl Moon and before we knew it, we all went "owling" an evening when there was a full moon. We pulled out field guides. We talked about the moon phases and then things morphed into other topics. We decided to do a "winter theme" book study.
Just some ideas...with your 9 years of experience with home schooling...I am sure the kids are learning every day!
Blessings,
Marianne
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marib-Mother to 22ds,21ds,18ds,15dd,11dd and wife to an amazing man for 23 years
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 7:36am | IP Logged
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I don't like to link myself because it feels like a form of self-flattery, but I'm going to in case something in this post helps you, Kristie.
If you've been homeschooling for 9 years, there's likely absolutely NOTHING new here! But, sometimes just hearing someone else say it jogs a joyful memory cell and shifts perspective.
I've been thinking of you and praying for you since you posted!
Focus and Rejuvenate - A Plan to Short-Circuit the February Blues
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Jan 20 2009 at 11:38am | IP Logged
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I was coming here to link to that very post of yours, Jennifer. I found it so helpful and inspiring as I rework our January/February plans.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 22 2009 at 12:46pm | IP Logged
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What a coincidence- yesterday I found your post Jennifer through Willa's blog. It gave me some very good fodder...and I think it is so true that you need it restated by someone else sometimes.
Feeling a little more rejuvinated to look at our plans as well
And thank you for your kind words and prayers.
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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vmalott
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Great post, Jennifer!
Kristi, I am feeling the same way you are. I don't know why I was surprised by it at first, since it hits around this time every year! Last year I was nicely distracted by a newborn baby.
I guess I was struck by the feeling that, despite having a newborn in the house, we seemed to get so much more done this time last year, and now we're here, a year later, seemingly inert.
At one moment I'm fine with allowing a time for unschooling. Then, I come across something regarding certain requirements for NCAA eligibility (we have at least 1 serious athlete in the house w/a goal of playing college level ball/MLB though he's only 12.5) and I'm at odds on how the unschooling approach could work in this case. ACK is right!!! 
But I guess it doesn't have to be all or nothing, really, which Jennifer's post help me realize. There is so much that I love about unschooling, classical education (a la WTM), and Charlotte Mason. And while I enjoy having everyone learning together, I'm coming to the realization that it doesn't work for all of us, all the time. Now I just have to come to accept that!
Maybe my task today will be to adapt (not totally scrap) the lovely plans I made over the summer, so that it suits each of us where we are. I can do this...
Valerie
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Valerie
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 23 2009 at 12:06pm | IP Logged
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Oh Valerie, I could have written your post today- esp. the part about realizing the 'learning together' doesn't always work for all of us.
Todays gem of a realization is that, coupled with the idea that it doesn't always need to look the same or perfect (ouch says my perfectionistic side). I am looking at making a three week (or more) routine with lots of independent reading covering the different areas of study (which we don't do as much of as I usually read aloud history and science), I created a little low key workbook for the next couple of weeks from our Henle exercises, math will truck along as always (at least my children with not have a hard time with math in the long run- it is like autopilot here), and I gave them each a book to record stuff from the books they are reading (I plan on photocopying narration/copywork ideas into the front of the books.
My, doesn't that look organized on the screen (doesn't look so orderly in real life here, believe me  )!
Praying for you as well Valerie...
Oh, and I also feel as now we have no babies, toddlers, etc. but I can't seem to function as well without some type of distraction
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 23 2009 at 2:59pm | IP Logged
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In case I wasn't humble enough above.... our day was very draggy, and the fluid plan did not end up so fluid- how can someone take 5 or 6 hours to do 2 hours of work 
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Kristie in Canada
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vmalott
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| Posted: Jan 26 2009 at 8:29am | IP Logged
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Kristie,
Hang in there!
On Friday I was inspired to draw up a list of readings my oldest could choose from for a specified time period. I tried to do a list of similar choices for my 12yo, but didn't print it out since I know he'd just choose the shortest assignments so he could be done and get back to doing what he wants. Right now that is playing on Toontown alternated with basketball breaks. Sigh.
Before the Christmas break, I made up assignment checklists for the two oldest kids, breaking up assigned readings, listing daily work (like math and copywork), etc. I got away from that partly because it felt like we were going through the motions.
Ideally I want them to do purposeful, meaningful work (don't we all???). I even held individual meetings with them to see what they would like to work on. DD14 said she doesn't like the freedom of unschooling and would prefer a list of things directing her what to do. ::sigh:: She spends her free time creating these anime-looking characters, writes fan-fiction someplace online, and has just recently gotten heavily into the Beatles. She's not happy with just that, hence the list I mentioned above.
DS12, when prodded, said he wants to learn Algebra (though couldn't express why)  , and then asked if I could please "force" him to do Rosetta Stone spanish. Everything else is "boring". He is our athlete who would like to play Division 1 baseball if he doesn't get drafted by the MLB right out of high school.
It figures that the one I could feasibly unschool through high school and is uncertain about college wants to be directed academically, while the one who has his eyes on college and will need academic direction to meet NCAA eligibility requirements lacks and desires any direction (self and otherwise) whatsoever. Somewhat reminiscent of this thread started by Elizabeth.
And therein lies my ACK!!!
So, my plan is to devise a bare minimum of stuff for DS12 to work on and just let him have at it on his own terms. For my sanity (and everyone else's), I'm not going to require him to sit and watch videos with us or do any group projects. Yep...just the bare minimum! Kind of a variation of "freedom within limits". I'll continue with my history plans and stay with the science topics I had planned for everyone else, but allow for more choices in reading and projects.
I have to keep in mind that the plans I developed were really just so *I* could be prepared rather than have to scramble for resources at the last minute, yet still remain flexible. Somewhere along the way I became a slave to them...
Anyway, a few kids just came in to ask if we are "doing school" today...so we'll see how this goes! DD14, when I last checked, was deeply engrossed in her Beatles book. DD10 craves having something to do. DS12 would, as suspected, prefer to do anything BUT "school." And *I* definitely need a shower.
Valerie
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Valerie
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Jan 26 2009 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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Sounds like a good midwinter plan Valerie...
Off to the dentist..
Kristie
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Kristie in Canada
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Ack...
