Still being new to the game, it’s hard to say what habits Girl and I have established as of yet. Time together is definitely nice and happy, but feelings and emotions along don’t make for happy habits!

One thing we have come to enjoy on a regular basis would be our outings – our socialization – that has allowed us to begin making some new friends. Whether we are enjoying a group outdoors at the zoo, the solitude of our local library, or the lessons of a Bible class, the habit of being out and about and learning those all-important social skills are a very good thing.

Reading has also come to have a fresh new life in our household again. Not just “study reading,” but rather just for fun, fictional chapter books! Because of public school, Girl’s reading desires had dwindled away and left her filled with nothing but a negative attitude. Since being home, with reading back UP to HER level, we can’t seem to get her to quit – it’s fantastic! Chapter upon chapter, book upon book…we’re very thankful for library cards!

A happy habit that I have developed is time for me once the kids are in bed. That’s when I sit down and work on the next days’ plans. It allows me to reflect on what we did that day (and correct any papers needing correcting) and tie it into the continuation of the following day.

I really do think, though, that our biggest and best habit is just learning the ropes of our day-to-day homeschooling. Every day is different and new and full of possibility, and that alone makes us very happy!

Another week down with another one is set to begin.  The never ending cycle.  Guess that’s why we are forever trying to think up new and interesting way to do the everyday and mundane, huh?!

In science, Girl and I have decided that, for the next week and a half, we are focusing on Earth Day (April 22).  Friday, we walked around part of housing – it’s a big area – and picked up trash.  We’ve come to the conclusion that the housing office needs to put trash cans around, especially near the playgrounds.  So, this will be added to our writing program this week!

I have also come to realize that some time spent in lessons with Miss Manners wouldn’t be wasted on Girl … while at a red light the other day, with windows down due to gorgeous warm weather, my daughter looked next to us and spotted a man in a very puffy winter coat.

She looked at me and said, rather loudly, “Can you believe that idiot is wearing that heavy coat on a day like this?”

Yes, his window was down, too.  I leaned over and told her that his window was down, and maybe she shouldn’t say things like that.

To which she replied (with girly tween attitude): “Why?  I don’t care if I get in trouble … most times.”

UGH!!  Like I said, lessons on manners would NOT be wasted on Girl!!  I just can’t believe she said that – to my face!

We are having fun with Spanish.  She is even beginning to teach Daddy and Boy, if you can believe that.  Granted, it’s just basic words from the food category, but it’s something.  OH – and a big THANK YOU to KB for those magnetic Spanish poetry words!  Those are going to be a blast!   She’s really into it this language thing, and I love it!

Boy is doing fantastic!  He made honor roll for the third quarter in a row!!  We’re very proud of him.  Currently he is selling candy to raise money for the chorus trip at the end of the year – Busch Gardens Williamsburg!  They are practicing right now for the upcoming spring concert, which is sometime next month.  Unfortunately, I don’t know how they sound, because they never had a holiday concert.  Construction at the school ran over and they just ran out of time.  So we are really excited about this one!

He is really starting to crack me up lately.  When he talks on the phone to his Grandma, they just jab at each other left and right, until he’s laughing so hard his side hurts!  Reminds me of how my oldest brother and my nanny were with each other.  It’s a good thing.

I’ve been missing my best friend a lot lately, but we’ll be walking together in June in CT for Relay for Life.  We did a portion of it last year and had fun, but we didn’t stay overnight.  This year, we’re going all the way, baby!  CareBear and Tink, together again and walking the night away!!  (ooo, maybe that doesn’t sound so good?!!)

Well, that’s all for now.  As the crumbs fall from our loaf of life, I’ll be sure to sweep them onto here and share them all with you.  Until then…

These ’Smart Beginnings’ ads I’ve been seeing on TV (and hearing on the radio, and seeing in print media) are really beginning to bother me. They make it seem as if the state/districts had MORE money to put towards educating young children (birth – 5yo), there wouldn’t be nearly as many youth problems as there are nowadays. One ad even points out that “kindergarten is the new first grade…” so if your kid doesn’t know blah-blah-blah by the time he enters K, he will fall behind and never be able to catch up.

Umm, excuse me, but who is it that is setting these new grade “standards?” Certainly not the parents of said school children!! Then to go on and say that 25% of K’s held back in VA live in the Hampton Roads area isn’t saying all that much about the teachers now, is it?! (Guess it doesn’t really matter that the HR area is one of THE biggest “areas” in the state, so the percentage would be a tad bit skewed) When we lived in Upstate NY, and in CT, the school’s were challenging and strict, yet rewarding at the same time, and the children still learned. We got here to VA, and were astonished at how the districts worked.

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel that if these districts/teachers got off their “ever broadening” minds and for just a second thought an iota more about their students than they do the SOL’s, maybe our kids would have a chance in public schools in this area.

I feel very bad for new parents who sit back, see these ads and begin to get fearful of their new child’s future education. Maybe that’s what these ads are trying to do? I don’t know. But I certainly don’t see how fear works to a new parents’ advantage.

Am I against early childhood programs? Absolutely not! My mother has run a very successful daycare back in PA for over 25yrs. Some preschools are very helpful for some kids, and just about anything geared towards education (in a positive view) is alright in my book! I guess it’s just since I know how the school works (having taken my own daughter out) that the Smart Beginnings approach bothers me.

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TV PSA’s

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Universal preschool is the ultimate goal, I suppose.  Universal.  Somehow, that doesn’t sound quite as ”glorious” of a prefix as politicians think it should.  Universal preschool.  Universal health care.  This basically goes back to my recent finding of ParentalRights.org – as the times go on and the children of today appear to sink further and further into the muck of “their lacking abilities,” the government seems to think that it is not the fault of the teachers and schools, or even the system that they serve, but that of those who raise the children.  So, in their twisted mindset, why not take more and more control over the situation … typical government view, don’t ya think? … Rather than enforce and fix the problem, just create new rules and regulations for the common man to abide by.

As was said by another homeschool mom – “I’m waiting for the day that “they” are waiting at our delivery room doors to grab our babies for school!”

*sigh*

Ok, so having things written down keeps one on track waaaaaaaaay better than just “winging” it!  Today starts a new pattern of doing things, and I think it will go a lot smoother now.  Even H is much happier to see her day spread out before her.

8:15          CrossFit / Walking

 

8:30        Daily Devotions / Journal

          

9:00        Science

 

9:30        Geography  –and/or-  History

 

10:00        Math

 

10:45       Spanish / Powhatan

 

11:30         Word Study

 

11:45         Oral Reading

 

12:00        English / Writing

 

12:45       Resource / End of Day