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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 7:11am | IP Logged
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Last week we started remodeling our kitchen. This wasn't in the plan, but it has been slowly disintegrating over the last few years, and finally hit the HAD to be done state last week. We are doing 90% of the work ourselves (everything except the rewiring--electricity scares me) It is going to take about a month to finish the project.
Our orginal plan had us starting school this coming Monday as that's when my oldest goes back to private high school and we try to stick to his schedule. But our house is a mess, the school room is full of kitchen stuff, my plans aren't done and my head isn't in "school mode". The obvious answer is--we wait. But, my 15 year old is very anxious to start his freshman year. He has some learning delays and struggles with many subjects. He really wants to make sure that he finishes his freshman year "on time" that is, when his friends in school finish.
I don't want to put him off, but I am so disorganized right now. I don't even know where his math book is  I could take a break for a few days from the kitchen to get him organized, but truthfully I don't even have a level surface for him to work on 
My little one is also anxious to start "kindergarden" but obviously I am not really stressing that right now 
So what to do?
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LeeAnn
Wife of David, mom to Ben, Dennis, Alex, Laura, Philip and our little souls in heaven we have yet to meet
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Babs
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 7:26am | IP Logged
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Could you have him start some of the subjects now, maybe the ones that they are able to do with less help and less materials/planning/mess-making? We are not starting when I had planned but the boys are doing some things now, like a math lesson each day because they use Teaching Textbooks and only need help occasionally.
Starting something might make your son feel that his whole plan hasn't been changed and that he is working toward his goal.
I keep thinking when we do start I will be so happy the boys are a little ahead in something, even if we are starting later than I hoped.
God Bless,
Barb
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 7:37am | IP Logged
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If your freshman is anxious to get started and you're willing...
You could dig through the piles and find a math book, a piece of literature you were planning on him reading this year, and some kind of religion/faith based book. Drop them into a basket and let him have at it. Stipulate something like 1 lesson in math, an hour of literature with either a written or oral narration, and maybe an hour in reading a religious book of your choice. I'm just throwing basic subjects out there, but if you find the Latin program or something else that is integral to him, drop them in his basket. Provide simple instructions for how much he is to get done. I wouldn't spend more than an hour searching and getting him set up. Leave the major planning and organizing for after you get your kitchen together.
If the idea of having anything else on your plate overwhelms you...
Just tell him lessons start when the house is back in order and you need all your time and energy to go into that right now. Enlist his help!!!!! Don't set a start date - you'll get there when you get there!
If it were me, I'd probably do the latter...I self-destruct with too much going on and the house in total disarray - I just can't function. I tried to multi-task in this way once and it resulted in me being short tempered and getting absolutely nothing of substance done. Once I stepped back and gave myself permission to prioritize and put a few items on the backburner I moved with much more efficiency. Just a thought, LeeAnn.  to you...kitchen re-do's are stressful!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Sarah M
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 12:16pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
[If the idea of having anything else on your plate overwhelms you...
Just tell him lessons start when the house is back in order and you need all your time and energy to go into that right now. Enlist his help!!!!! Don't set a start date - you'll get there when you get there!
If it were me, I'd probably do the latter...I self-destruct with too much going on and the house in total disarray - I just can't function. I tried to multi-task in this way once and it resulted in me being short tempered and getting absolutely nothing of substance done. Once I stepped back and gave myself permission to prioritize and put a few items on the backburner I moved with much more efficiency. Just a thought, LeeAnn. to you...kitchen re-do's are stressful! |
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Yes!
We have a torn up house in the middle of a re-model right now, too. And we're gearing up for my dh to leave for 6 months (work)-- we're going to start school much later than usual- maybe not till October. Just too much going on. I don't want to be overtaxed and then take it out on the kids. My oldest is a lot younger than your oldest, but I'd say do what will be least stressful for all of you! Maybe your freshman could start on some indpendent studies in the meantime?
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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A bit of searching this morning turned up his math book, his TRISMS, and Fallacy Detective. So I think I will have him start the math and some of his TRISMS reading next week. Its stressing me out, but he really wants to start. Now I just need to find a level surface not covered with stuff!
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LeeAnn
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kristina
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 6:33pm | IP Logged
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LeeAnn,
Our kids like to find a comfy corner of the couch with a clipboard and pencil to do their work. Would that work for your son? ...or what about a lapdesk? I just googled 'storage lapdesk' and many options turned up - several on amazon.com.
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kristina
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katilac
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 7:19pm | IP Logged
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Can your older son go work at the library? Or someplace like Starbucks?
I have come to the conclusion that it's generally best to keep on truckin', and ignore the chaos of life as best we can. I don't think we've had a 'quiet' year since we started home schooling! Even doing the bare minimum gets you a step closer to completing your goals.
It's not likely that your son will finish on time starting a month late, and it sounds important to him (and it's a worthy goal). Also, reno projects have a hideous way of taking longer than planned, and then you'll only have so much time till the holidays kick in, and then, and then!
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 28 2009 at 8:42pm | IP Logged
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katilac, that is truly my fear! For the last 2 years our basement has flooded in September and by the time we were truly cleaned up from that, it was Christmas! I feel so behind. If I had known we were going to be remodelling, I wouldn't have started until I had a plan for school in place. Now I can't even find my school supplies 
Unfortunately he needs me nearby when he works. He is getting fairly independent, but if he gets stuck he needs immediate feedback or he looses all momentum. On the other hand, he is very distractible, and needs a quiet corner at a table or desk.
I plan on having a discussion with my dh tonight. He is very anxious that I get the kitchen done as quickly as possible, but by the end of the weekend all the prep work should be done. I will see if he doesn't mind if I take off next week from the kitchen, and really focus on our schoolroom. If I can get it organized and have a few weeks of lesson grids for my 15 yos setup, he can proceed and I can work on the kitchen without so much guilt and stress.
Thanks for the thoughts!
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LeeAnn
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katilac
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| Posted: July 29 2009 at 8:56am | IP Logged
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third time's the charm! so the kitchen reno will go smoothly
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 29 2009 at 12:24pm | IP Logged
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knock on wood... So far so good
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LeeAnn
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: When to start
