SCHOOL!

It's time for SCHOOL!

And I have four unique individuals for kids.

This year, after much prayer, discussion, and even some debate, we have arrived at a new plan for educating our children. This plan is for this year only. We'll see what next year brings.

I love homeschooling and I'm rather selfish with my kid's time. I like to be the one that is there for the "AH-HA!" moments. I love our deep spiritual conversations throughout the day. I like the relaxed schedule and flexibility that homeschooling brings.

However...

Last year was pretty much a "rebuilding year" for our family. Just pouring my life into Cupcake's was a 24/7 job...and then there was homeschool...not to mention housecleaning (which almost never happened)...and the million other things that moms/wives do. We had lots of doctors visits, evaluations, therapy, etc. There was the whole broken ankle/appendicitis/gall bladder season which took quite a bit out of our school schedule.

We trudged along at a snail's pace with the big kids. Some days were productive and successful, others...not so much. I felt empty and run down, over-extended and ineffective many days. We couldn't seem to focus for more than 5 minutes on any one thing. We were always being distracted by something. We needed to make some changes.

Cupcake

By the time summer hit, I knew that we needed to put Cupcake into a Kindergarten program, so I could at least have a window of time with the big kids to really focus on their schooling. I think it will be good for her to have another authority figure. Rules and structure will be helpful to her. Learning to interact with all kinds of other kids will be good. Having her own "thing" will be important to her self-image.

Sugar

But while we were talking about putting Cupcake in public school, the subject of putting Sugar in public school came up. I was a little less enthusiastic about that. I like to teach Sugar. She will be in 5th grade this year. Fifth grade girls can be pretty mean. She is behind on some of her subjects because of the lost year last year and because of some other obstacles she has to learning. She's tender hearted and innocent. But, after much prayer, we think it will be good for her in many ways. She has matured by leaps and bounds this past year, and we believe she can handle whatever comes her way.

So, last week, we registered the girls for public school. They will both be at the same grade school two blocks from home. Actually, I should say that Cupcake is sort-of registered --- but that's a story for a whole other post.

Sunshine

Sunshine will remain at home full time. I am hoping to really focus on preparing him for high school work. He will also be taking two classes at a local homeschool learning center.

TE

TE is technically still homeschooling, but he will be taking dual enrollment classes at two local universities for most of his coursework. I am confident he can handle the load and it will cut his college requirements way down (at a fraction of the cost). :-D That's a win/win situation for everyone.

So there you have it. Our new school plan for the 2009-10 school year.

What are you doing?

Blessings to you,
Mamita