| Author | |
Tina P.
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1638
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2005 at 4:28am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I am trying to relax my homeschooling. It's difficult when my husband and extended family have expectations. I was relaxed until they all started asking questions. I start to feel as though I must jump the children through high and incredibly narrow hoops to fulfill someone else's desires.
Anyway, on to the topic of this post. We relaxed the past couple of days. I even put the math books away.  And guess what happened? Anna made a recipe which we considered multiplying by 1.5 to feed us all. Multiplying the recipe by two would have given us too many rolls. The only problem was, we'd have had to use 1.5 eggs. We decided to go a little hungry. 
We had been given tree shoots from a forest after viewing a Christmas Pantomime. We planted the trees as well as putting our garden to bed. We covered the garden with cocoa shells. Even my two year old was involved and my four year old was very particular about covering all the dirt in the garden with the shells.
I've been reading Caddie Woodlawn for the past few days. I can see Caddie in my 4yog, Warren in my 8 yob, and Tom in my 11 yob. My 9 yog is more like Clara, but not quite so ladylike. The kids laugh at their antics and play pioneer games as much as possible.
Anna read a book about Paddington Bear and spontaneously narrated the whole thing to Gus and then separately to me. I had to concsciously keep my mouth from dropping open.  When I used to ask her to give me a narration, even though she was the most verbose of all my kids, she would *forget* things and end with "I don't know what to say."
The kids pulled out the blocks and made wonderful towers. My 8 yob even used the alphabet blocks to write "Joshua Come In." They're drawing and volunteering to help out. The house is cleaner at the end of the day and dinner is on time.
Maybe all *subjects* aren't being covered every day. Maybe the math books will get dusty before they ever get pulled out again. Or maybe they won't be used at all (still struggling with this thought). But thanks to your advice (all of you over the past several months), I think focusing on my family and even my own interests (what a thought!) will provide a learning environment that far exceeds what I've been doing with the kids.
I'm still a little concerned about math and grammar/ spelling/ writing. Trust in the Lord is my mantra...
Thank you and have a blessed Christmas!
__________________
Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JoannB
Forum Rookie
Joined: Sept 07 2005
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2005 at 7:50am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I too, have surrendered and become more relaxed.
The best thing about it...I'm sure you'll agree is the children seem happier...and when everyone is happy, unlimited opportunities and adventures unfold.
It's nice living in a positive atmosphere...
Keep on relaxing! Your post was a shot in the arm!
In Kindness.
__________________
Joann
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
juliecinci
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 294
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2005 at 8:01am | IP Logged
|
|
|
What a great story to share and a shot in my tired arms.
I'm exhausted from a semester with two grad classes and teaching online and in person at our co-op. My kids seem good (in most ways this fall has been wonderful as far as homeschool goes). But the last few weeks as family came and left over Thanksgiving and then finals and term papers mounted, I feel like my involvement with my kids plummeted.
I am so glad to be finished with this semester and am just now starting to get into the Christmas spirit around here. We've been decorating more and starting to shop. And the kids and I have continued to read aloud every day through it all. Two of my boys have been studying math without much support or reminders from me and the 11 year old, who is the one who resists any formal learning, said the other day that he was doing sums for fun. 
What's interesting to me is that they do continue to learn, even when I'm less available, but I miss them! I miss being more involved and relaxed myself.
So your post reminded me how much I need to give myself to the kids in these next few weeks before life cranks up a notch again.
Julie
__________________
Julie
Homeschooling five for fourteen years
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2005 at 3:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tina -- next time, go ahead and try 2 eggs -- it shouldn't make a huge difference to your recipe and then you can 1.5 times all the other ingredients. We've done this and had no problems.
We too have been doing LOTS of cooking math this past week -- and now the kids can proudly say they helped make the goodies that go into the goodie bags we do for extended family and friends. We also made a "recipe" of cinnamon bread dough ornaments -- which we had to tell my dh and son NOT to eat when they got home -- they really looked like edible gingerbread!
Blessings for all during this final week of Advent....
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
ladybugs
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3732
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2005 at 4:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Tina,
It sounds like you guys enjoyed a nice day.
About the Math, I often share your concern. I was the go-between for two parties recently. One was selling Saxon Math, the other buying. My friend who was buying was not at the exchange one day as her dh was ill and so I took the book for her to give to her. My friend's husband went on to have a major illness this summer so I haven't even seen her in a while so I hadn't delivered her book. Well, it's been sitting on my china cabinet counter and Isabella recently spied it. She sat down with it and started doing it. She loved it. Yesterday, we did some more. She's the kind of kid who likes me to sit with her. So yesterday, I sat with her and we did Math.
All of my children, thankfully, like to cook so that's a really practical way of "doing" math...Isabella, Juliana, Sophia and I are also making our own Christmas napkins...so cutting and sewing and measuring are happening...
I guess what I'm trying to say is just hang in there. The desire for Math will rear its head again...I'm no seamstress btw, so maybe if the kids see you trying something new, they'll go out on a limb, too. Just an idea...
I hope you and your precious family enjoy a truly beautiful and blessed Christmas.
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Leonie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2831
|
| Posted: Dec 19 2005 at 6:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
What a great day, Tina!
We had fun writing in our journals ( something we have neglected), making a Christmas tryptich ( from Domestic Church.com), finishing off leftover food from the carosl the night before, lots of music practice on guitars and keyboard - and watching cartoons!
Oh, and packing and taking some children to the air port.
WRT Maths, one thing I did when my older sons were young was keep a running list on the refrigerator of where and when we used Maths in our daily lives. We did this over the course of a month and it was a real eye opener. Also made me realsie that we could, with a good conscience, skip a number of pages and busywork in those maths books.
Thanks for all your sharing, and for your discussion and questions.
__________________
Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Relaxing
