Making schedules is something that I usually only do loosely. These last few months, with my step-daughter's many appointments, I've had to keep an agenda book. I tried to save dates and appointments on my phone calendar, but it wasn't working for me. Writing things out works better for me for some reason
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For school, my schedule has usually consisted of making sure we work the required number of days, and filling out a planning form for the week or day. The planning forms the last couple of years have followed my pre-planned curriculum with math, language arts, and extra reading.
As I've been praying about this year, scheduling has become something God has placed more on my heart. Last year, when things would get busy, I would often skip Megan's schoolwork. Then, we would double-up later if we could. The problem with that theory was that I couldn't always double-up. That is why it took me 16 months to get through a 9 month pre-school curriculum.
I can't have a repeat of that in Kindergarten. I have to be more disciplined in organizing our day. A large part of my stress has been in feeling like I can't keep up. Megan is a very busy child, constantly moving and chattering. Laura is very independent in her work, but I continually feel we are behind on the things I'm supposed to do with her, like read alouds. Then I'm losing my voice trying to catch up on what we didn't get to. It was disappointing to end our school year with our read aloud not finished.
As I've prayed about this, God showed me some areas where I've been trying too hard, not really depending on Him, but going in my own strength until I'm drained and burned out. As He has an order to the seasons, to day and night, there should be an order to our lives... At least a more organized one than what I have tried.
Also a consideration in my planning is the possibility that my step-daughter might be homeschooled this year. It's not a definite yet, and a portion of her studies would be completed with her tutor, but it's still a factor to consider. That would add another student to our school.
I pray and make my homeschooling decisions year by year. I go over what is working, what isn't, and why. Sometimes a curriculum choice isn't working, even though it worked in the past. Sometimes there is a discipline problem that needs corrected, bad habits that have formed, and this doesn't apply only to the children. I've had to check my own life too.
My decisions this year have been tough. I expected God to lead me in one direction, and He has humbly showed me that things just aren't working that way. My big plans were shot down pretty quickly as I became stressed out just planning them. What God is showing me has rocked my grand notions of what homeschooling is to be in my home.
Stay tuned for more.
.
For school, my schedule has usually consisted of making sure we work the required number of days, and filling out a planning form for the week or day. The planning forms the last couple of years have followed my pre-planned curriculum with math, language arts, and extra reading.
As I've been praying about this year, scheduling has become something God has placed more on my heart. Last year, when things would get busy, I would often skip Megan's schoolwork. Then, we would double-up later if we could. The problem with that theory was that I couldn't always double-up. That is why it took me 16 months to get through a 9 month pre-school curriculum.
I can't have a repeat of that in Kindergarten. I have to be more disciplined in organizing our day. A large part of my stress has been in feeling like I can't keep up. Megan is a very busy child, constantly moving and chattering. Laura is very independent in her work, but I continually feel we are behind on the things I'm supposed to do with her, like read alouds. Then I'm losing my voice trying to catch up on what we didn't get to. It was disappointing to end our school year with our read aloud not finished.
As I've prayed about this, God showed me some areas where I've been trying too hard, not really depending on Him, but going in my own strength until I'm drained and burned out. As He has an order to the seasons, to day and night, there should be an order to our lives... At least a more organized one than what I have tried.
Also a consideration in my planning is the possibility that my step-daughter might be homeschooled this year. It's not a definite yet, and a portion of her studies would be completed with her tutor, but it's still a factor to consider. That would add another student to our school.
I pray and make my homeschooling decisions year by year. I go over what is working, what isn't, and why. Sometimes a curriculum choice isn't working, even though it worked in the past. Sometimes there is a discipline problem that needs corrected, bad habits that have formed, and this doesn't apply only to the children. I've had to check my own life too.
My decisions this year have been tough. I expected God to lead me in one direction, and He has humbly showed me that things just aren't working that way. My big plans were shot down pretty quickly as I became stressed out just planning them. What God is showing me has rocked my grand notions of what homeschooling is to be in my home.
Stay tuned for more.
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