Refreshing Change of Plans

I've veered of of original plans for Megan's schooling... AND WE LOVE IT!!!

We have been working through plans of a different curriculum, picking and choosing different points to cover.  There is nothing wrong with our other curriculum, but it was becoming boring, and so routine.  It was becoming overly "schoolish".  I could see the light going out in my daughter's eyes during many of the lessons... And she's only in the first grade!  

Before I continue, let me explain.  First, I believe in a certain amount of structure. Math is one of those subjects where it's important to build precept upon precept.  But doing the same thing, day after day, for all subjects was getting to me.  Change is good at times, right? 

I've begun to suspect that, like her older sister and her father, my first grader is a bit ADD.  Unlike the public schools, I don't feel the need to medicate my child so she'll sit quietly at a desk for hours every day.  I don't care if she sings her math facts while we do flash-cards.  I often have to remind her to focus during certain lessons as she will doodle instead of do math.  However, she's six.  She's supposed to be busy and artistic and dramatic and fun.

 

School shouldn't necessarily force her to fit some mold.  She loves being read to, but also loves music and painting and videos.  

The last two weeks we have been reading about Abraham, studying family, and learning about the human body.  Ironically, it all goes together.  

We've hit the library and checked out book after book.  We are reading Boxcar Children the Beginning and books about different body systems.  I have checked out various Max Lucado children's books.  Today my first grader read a bones book called Dem Bones and then watched the video on YouTube with the song.  She loved it!  Then she watched a Magic School Bus video about bones and muscles.  She was in learning heaven, and it was fun!

She has been working on a homemade book about herself.  In it we are putting facts about Megan...her address, a drawing of her house, her fingerprints, drawings of her family, her favorite things.  She loves it.  We will finish the week with putting why she is special while reading the Max Lucado books, You Are Special and Just in Case You Ever Wonder.  We will also read the book, Heaven is for Real for Kids, as we discuss death.  

Learning this way feels so natural.  Megan seems to be more focused on her phonics and math, which are done first, because she's excited to get to the other subjects.  

Essentially, this is a unit study.  It's a fun way to learn.  After homeschooling for five years, I'm finally growing more comfortable not following a pre-planned curriculum, not following a public school mentality.  It used to scare me, doing things too differently from the norm.  I would have the desire to move away from the norm, and enjoyed using living books and some hands-on studies.  I would dabble in unit studies for the short-term...a project or a brief break from the norm.  I ALWAYS loved it, but that fear would keep me from jumping in TOTALLY & COMPLETELY.

But when everything feels like it has fallen apart, when school feels like trying to run through mud, when mom just can't keep up with three students learning in three totally different levels with three totally different personalities.  Trying to do it all has left me in tears, frustrated, falling behind, not able to keep up.

I don't know how many other homeschooling moms have experienced this, but it's difficult.  I know I'm not alone.  Just Google "homeschool burnout" and you'll get a whole list of articles and advice.  I just know that what I was doing wasn't working, so I'm praying and changing things, one piece at a time.