Small changes make a big difference

We recently dropped another class, Taekwondo. Owen and Lilly really enjoyed it but it was a difficult time of day. 4-5 pm. I wasn’t able to get dinner in the kids at a decent time or able to exercise for myself because of this class. The instructor was great and very nice. I feel a little guilty but I just had to let something else go. i have had a very easy two weeks all around. It is amazing to me what I thought was a small change turned out to be huge! I have been more efficient with the kids schooling and getting all their subjects in.

I do have to give Lilly credit, she has been very focused and easy to handle lately. I also made a change to her math curriculum, two days out of the book and three days on multiplication.com. She needs to memorize her multiplication facts and it seems to take the pressure off.

Sometimes it is just these little adjustments that help so much.  it is at times like these that I love the flexibility of home school. I love that I can tailor my children’s learning to where THEY are as opposed to the class.

slow week

This is a tough week for me. Not for any particular reason, I’m just not overly motivated to do book work. We can make up for what we have lost on Saturday but that just keeps the week on dragging. Sometimes I get a lot done with Owen and hardly anything with Lilly and visa versa. The glorious thing I have learned over the years is that it will all work out. Every now and then we have a slow week but for the most part it is pretty steady. I am proud of the fact that I am not worried about this weak. I just take a deep breath and move on.

Gideon is Busy

It is so reassuring to hear my friends tell me that Gideon is busy.  I mean, I know 2 is a busy age but this kid is off the charts!  Every time I pick him up from class or a friend they and I ask how he was I get the one word answer, busy.  I even had a friend ask if he was like this at home, yes he is.  Even the speech therapist and the developmental therapist said he was a busy guy.  It is nice to know it is not my imagination.  It is not just me having a pity party when I am frustrated with him in the fridge for the 50th time in an hour.  Home school with a baby or a toddler is a challenge for anyone.  With Gideon sometimes I want to just scream!  I am thankful the dog is on vacation because the two of them were my worst nightmare!  I would be trying to explain directions to Owen, who can’t read yet, and helping Lilly with a math problem while Gideon is tossing crayons on the floor if he wasn’t writing on the walls with them.  When the dog was here he would eat the crayons so I would be cleaning up that mess and Gideon was making another one somewhere at the same time.  Most days with Gid are like this.  My experience tells me this too shall pass but when your in the moment sometimes it feels overwhelming.  You ask yourself what am I doing wrong? Did I create this or is it inherited?  I try to think if Owen was this busy but I think I could only focus on his biting issues.  Are there baby Track meets?  If so I think Gideon would be in for the long distance running.  So I say thank you for noticing how crazy this kid is and making me feel sane!

Research Report

Lilly is working on a research report for Mission Santa Cruz. It is really simple compared to the book reports her teacher usually assigns. I am looking forward to making a field trip to the mission to help make it come alive for her. I am amazed at the increase of maturity in her this year. Home school does get easier as they get older!