Homeschooling thoughts

Well this is our third week "officially homeschooling." I put that in quotes because at this stage of the game (it's Kindergarten afterall), we aren't really doing anything TOO different from what we did before. Anna's doing some handwriting each day, we have Bible time over breakfast, and we're loosely using Saxon math. (AKA I skip over things she already knows, and modify some of it.) I do a lot of reading aloud and Anna does a ton of independent reading. Again, those things were occurring naturally in our home anyway.

In some ways it's hard to describe what we "do" because I just look at it as regular old family life with education thrown in. Lots of good literature (we're all LOVing the classic "Winnie the Pooh" stories) and reading and togetherness, lots of time for play, and then some working on skills like writing etc. The most important thing I do is what I should always be doing, training up my children, nurturing them and loving them, teaching them about Jesus and about our world.

So far Anna loves it. But she is a real taskmaster. I decide we'll do three pages out of a science and nature book, but once I read those to her she takes the book away and proceeds to finish it independently. Or we'll be doing some lessons out of the (dull) math curriculum. I want to be done. She wants to keep going. She's hardcore! (Except for when it comes to handwriting, which she does NOT enjoy. But she does it, and is already improving.)

Most days we also try to go for a walk--I walk, the kids ride their bikes (Kaitlyn on a tricycle and Biniam on some sort of plastic motorcycle)--all around our neighborhood. We have so been enjoying it! The kids love getting to see all sorts of cats and dogs, and we've also run into friends who happened to be driving by, or who are over at our church office.

I've also started including Anna in dinner prep when I can. She loves helping in the kitchen, and takes real pride in preparing a meal for our family. (You should see her smile when Kevin and the other kids tell us what we made is good!!!!!) This is a picture of her standing by the eggplant parmigiana we made together one evening.

My favorite part of homeschooling so far has been the amazing conversation that takes place sometimes during our morning Bible reading. (Yes we could be doing that if we weren't homeschooling, but I think it can be more difficult to carve out time before the rush out the door, and my kids are more tired in the afternoons/evenings.) My kids are really thinking about things, and asking deep questions, and I LOVE seeing where their hearts are at. What a blessing and a privilege!!!! (I also love the fact that there is still plenty of time for this: relaxing together on Mommy and Daddy's bed in the afternoons!)