I realized I have been writing only about adoption stuff lately, meanwhile life with my boys is marching right on. Tonight we celebrated the first snowfall of the season (it actually snowed Friday night but this was the first night we were home since then) with our first fire in the fireplace and smores! Although for everyone except Aaron and I, it was marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate all separate. Not a one of them likes real smores, too much of a mess they tell me. This coming from three boys who can be covered with dirt, sand, and mud up to their ears and not mind at all. Anyway, I am always on the lookout for new traditions, and I hope this one will stick.
I have also been doing preschool at home with them this year. I never actually thought I would homeschool, but just sensed the Lord leading us this way as we started the process of thinking about school. I am just taking it one year at a time, but do plan on doing school at home with them for kindergarten as well. I started out with grand plans and ideas of all of us starting promptly at 9:00 every morning gathered around our table listening attentively and participating actively in each day's lesson. I'm not sure that even made it one day. I do remember Isaac screaming and launching himself across the table to grab a crayon our first day and things going downhill pretty rapidly after that. I have really tried to relax in my approach and make it more about having fun than meeting my expectations. I try to have some one on one time with each of them a couple times each week to work on reading, and we are doing a letter of the week, lots of me reading to them, and other little easy projects. When it clicks it is really fun, and I love seeing them learn new things and get excited. But it is also hard. It's hard to engage them all at once and feel like I am teaching them anything that is helpful or that matters. I also struggle with feeling they are missing out on experiences or activities in a classroom. I do feel good overall about it though, I just realized that even if you do what you feel like the Lord is leading you to do, it can still be hard frustrating. I sure do love hanging out with them though, and consider it such a gift.
My parents decided to homeschool my two youngest siblings. My mom has often said that it is probably the hardest thing she's ever done...but so rewarding.
ReplyDeletePraying for the adventure of it all with your boys:)
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI want to encourage you, especially since the twins are the same age as my Isaac.
Zeb and I are currently homeschooling him and loving it! It's not without it's frustrations or setbacks. Remember that they may not follow a strict "scope and sequence" and they'll all learn at different paces.
We've subscribed (at least for this year and some of next) to "unschooling". Basically, we take his current interest and find creative ways to incorporate math, science, reading, writing, and anything else we can think of, into it.
Right now, Isaac is enthralled with geography. Namely the 50 states. We study about 1 every 10 days with him, and he is learning so much about the world and different climates and crops and animals and even what "nicknames" are!
Take it easy...I remind Zeb all the time...He is only 4. He may read, he may write, and he may know all the states of the Union on a map, but he is only 4 and will still want to play with trains, make big messes in mud puddles, and aggravate his baby sister...He is still a 4 year old boy after all!
You'll do great! If you want to read some of what we're doing you can read Zeb's blog at www.michiganpete.blogspot.com . I also maintain a more generic family blog at www.acuffadventures.blogspot.com
Hugs!!
Tiffany
PS...If your boys want a penpal, Isaac LOVES to write letters, and it's great practice for practical writing skills; let me know!
Mary, please be encouraged. You are doing a great job! You are a great mom, wife and daughter-in-law. I feel blessed to have you as a part of our family.
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