(Sorry for yet another blurry photo.)
We didn't make it out to breakfast for pancakes, but we did have them for supper. Thomas and I had a long talk about school. I took my paper and a list of all we needed to accomplish in school. We looked it over, talked it out, cussed and discussed. Oh wait, we didn't cuss. Well, he didn't, I'm sure with my potty mouth I had to have said one bad word during the meal.
At any rate, we scribbled out schedules, we crossed things out, we arranged and we re-arranged.
We both agreed on a final schedule that includes everything, but not on a day-to-day basis. Gulp. Mom is feeling a little panic that we'll get everything done that needs to be done. However, the pressure also just seemed to lift from my shoulders.
I just read at Carole's blog how she dropped vocabulary for both her boys and was "trimming her sails." I was thankful she posted that because it helped me in letting go. Thomas loves vocabulary and excels at it, so instead of dropping it, we are reducing it to two times a week instead of four.
We've made several reductions, and all these reductions we made will enable us to hit the big subjects that we have, sadly, been hit and miss with: US History, World History, and Science.
So I'm feeling a little better, Thomas is feeling much better, and we'll give this adjusted schedule a few weeks to see how it goes.
And as Heather suggested in the comments section (thanks!) -- we have decided if we are climbing the walls with boredom or from being antsy, we will get in the car and hit the library.
Whew. Crossing my fingers on this.
1 comment:
Letting go is so hard but I'm glad I inspired a bit over at your hs too. That's great that you did the brainstorming together on what to do, what to drop----great job!
Now, about getting it all done. You can't. The earlier we accept that the better off our little folks are. But man, is that hard to do; such a hard balancing act---do they read or do vocabulary? do they do a science report or watch Missy take down a grasshopper? And how to make it all fun? It was a fine day when I realized that not all school days would be fun; not all school days would be free of boring stuff. Listening, talking, asking questions of what they want to do has helped a llot over here.
We have done a full day of science labs; or had a reading marathon; or spent hours watching Missy eat a grasshopper; but there are those non-negotiables that they still do---math, reading and some writing----but never after a field trip, and never, ever about a field trip. I hated doing that as a kid so I won't have them do that.
OK, those are my random thoughts.
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