Oh gang, I need help today. The day started out well, we were up, I had my outdoor chores finished, we started school early and it went well until near the end of lessons. I am also already running into the obstinate kindergartener. He huffs, or snorts, or sometimes whines, at anything I put before him. We are not doing anything tough or overbearing. He is writing his ABC's, identifying shapes, double checking that he knows all his colors and counting (doing really well with all that). He is doing Starfall and we are playing fun games like Letter Bingo, Life, Carmen Sandiego, small geography puzzles. We are trying to do Before Five in a Row just to begin with it - even though it seems too young for him- I hate to skip it. We have already done fun Five in a Row activities- we read Yellow Ball and went to spend several hours at the beach with our new yellow ball, including walking out to the lighthouse and exploring. Today he said he wanted to go to public school. We talked with him several times just pointing out some facts on how things would be different, such as- he will have to get up early and be ready, more will be required of him such as staying in a certain chair unless released, he will have to do what work is assigned him and there would be no bargaining, he would have to ask to go to the bathroom and such. He shrugs and says he wants to go anyway. Help, I am struggling with these incredibly conflicting thoughts. I am so thankful to have my children home with me, in a wholesome environment, not exposed to all the crap that goes on at that public school and on the bus. I can taylor the curriculum and its speed to suit their individual needs. I can make learning fun (thought I was ) My DH says we should send him so that he can understand how good he has it here at home. I can understand that reasoning. On the other side of the coin- I feel like I am being drained dry. I have a chronic illness (and the complications from it) as it is, and become fatigued easily. I feel like when I get out of bed in the morning, there is this huge workload staring at me.. schoolwork for two kids (and I have found that this year seems to be much more overwhelming- even though I only added on a K student - you wouldn't think that would be that much) constant food and dishes since we are home all day, ugg...supper, housework, mountains and mountains of laundry, I have a good number of dogs that I raise, train and am active with- so they require attention first off in the morning and throughout the day, ..just everyday things that need attention from the adult at home not working- appointments, sick relatives, vegatables that need froze or canned, up until a few weeks ago- it was fair animals and commitments, middle son's junior league football, bills, yardwork.. help. This afternoon I felt like chucking it all- getting a hobby that doesn't require 365 days a year attention, and giving up and shipping the kids back to that dreaded place. Then I think I would just sit and agonize over doing so and have such regret. The thing is, we have still been ramping up schoolwork gradually- we are still not doing our full workload and things are like this. :shock: Is it this way with more than one student? Or am I just overwhelmed right now? I know all of you know exactly where I am so, I needed to come here and just let it all out, and hope that someone has advice. I look at blogs and others seem so organized and smiling! I could just sit and cry this afternoon.
((((((((( hugs))))))))))))) We are not all so organized and smiling. YOu are not alone with a huge work load and conflecting feelings. I have felt like crying and just giving up, but I love homeschooling my grils. My hubby told me today that my youngest can't read well enough, i told him that she can WHEN she wants to. comments like that make my sad and depressed. I think you are overwhelmed with your work load. I would say, get your kids helping you with the outside chores, and tell your K to do his work or no special play activities with school. Stay in there and see how tomorrow feels. I will be praying for you.
I'll sum up my day by saying this: is it 5:15 pm and DS7 (second grade) just finished his school work seconds ago... literally. It's days like today when I tell myself that anything worth doing is worth the fight it may take to do it. Perhaps it's time to take a good, hard look at your priorities and decide if you need to start saying "no" to some things. Or maybe you need to have a heart to heart with your DH about what he can do to help you. I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas. Either way, you aren't alone. We all do understand, as you said.
Thanks ladies for the thoughts and thank you for the prayers. We currently require the boys to have schoolwork finished, chores, and showers before they are allow to play any video games or tv. I am not sure how to change up the attitude of the K'er. Maybe I am giving him too much writing practice? Where would you guys be during the first month of K? Would you be having him write a letter or Abc's every day? (Only for a short period of time- say- 15 minutes?) We have left the charter school we used last year and trying to make a go of it on our own. Maybe it is what I am having him do? Or would you say he is just seeing how far he can push it? Shelby.. I can relate, sometimes my DH will make a comment here or there -sometimes to question my curriculum choices, sometimes to say that I should send the boys back to PS- I think to some degree he is still stuck in that PS mentality and not sure he will ever come out of it. ((hugs)) back to you
