{ Week 10 }

Can I just let you in on a little secret?  Homeschooling can often be hard work.  Yes, it can.  It's a lot of work to juggle 3 full time { primary } students with a little 3 year old and baby tag along.  I won't count the two young men in the house because they're autonomous.

The hard work component is when you've discovered that you're lacking in knowledge and experience in a particular subject and have to learn it yourself before you can competently teach it.

I've been hard at work with writing.

How I've been able to get to teaching this is an additional problem.  Which child needs me right now? Which part is most needful?  Juggling all three at once.  Checking spelling, checking format, checking grammar.   Are they even listening?  How many days do I need to remind them that we put the lesson number, title, and date on the top?  Never mind the actual lesson.

As it turns out I'm only useful when I can focus on one child at one time.  I just can't do more than that without feeling like I'm losing my mind.

Hannah is great when I'm sitting there with her because I can prompt and lead her through each lesson without much difficulty.  On her own though she forgets that outlines need only two or three key words and gets carried away with herself and tends to write sentences instead of saving them for the actual writing.  The good news is that it's still early days and I've got plenty of time to work with her on it all.

{ By Hannah } 

Chloe was great this week as well.  She remembered to put the lesson number, the title, and the date on her page.   Then she did up her own outline and written piece.  I can't even begin to tell you how relieved this made me feel.  For the moment I can know that she can get some of her work done without me hand holding her.

 { By Chloe }

Don't ask me about Phebe.  I just want to cry.

In the Maths department we continue to make a good success.  This week in particular, because I was so overwhelmed in the school department - the writing has been taxing me, I got the girls to do their lesson, mark their own work, and fill in their own pink slip.  That left me with the only task left:  to enter their daily scores in my book.

Chloe is up to lesson 47, Phebe 35, and Hannah 44.

This week, to help clear my mind and release the stress I went back to looking at the Robinson Curriculum.  So for the next 7 weeks we won't be doing the usual surprise daily activities { added extra worksheets } or the spelling/vocabulary, that's on hold.   I was hoping to do a rain forest theme with the girls, but that will be on hold was well.  Additionally, English as a separate subject will also be in the bin.  Writing will be considered English instead.  Chloe will still have to do Writing with Skill though.  We'll that's the plan anyway.  I just need to simplify to get my sanity back in place.  So what's still on the list?  Math, check. Writing, check.  Reading, check.  All good.  :o)

Now while I'm getting back to basics with the other three girls, our dear Charlotte has really stepped up in wanting "school" time.  So this week we worked on some letter tracing and what nots.

And today:  the girls have been totally looking forward to our afternoon out with the other homeschoolers.  Today we'll be at the Botanical Gardens in town.  The big excitement, especially for Charlotte, are the NEW drink bottles, food cases, and hats that I bought the girls for when we go out each week.  I have a separate back pack for the picnic blanket and what nots.

I went and bought a plastic box to store them in.  That way they'll all be together and hopefully nothing will get lost.

Inside: just right for 4 packs.

This way each girl will have their own drink bottle and snack packs.

{ Noah }

Here he is in the walker.  He doesn't walk, but it's a good place to put him to get him upright.

Here I had him on my lap and thought, let's see if I can get some nice photos.  I won't tell you how many times he moved { which causes blurry photos }.

Today I'll be linking up with:

I hope you will join us.

Thanks for visiting.