Thursday 29 January 2009
More inspirations...
Take a look at my friend Leah's new blog...have just been there & it's great reading! http://newevery-morning.blogspot.com/ Enjoy & be blessed!
Homeschooling...a new adventure!
It has been a very long time since I wrote! And, since a friend of mine told me just yesterday that she had been reading my aged blog, I thought it was perhaps time to update! Lots has happened over the last month or so. We had a wonderful Christmas, celebrated Lottie's first birthday (and her first official chocolate!) , Sally's 6th (more chocolate!) and my 36th (never enough chocolate!) I am now officially closer to 40 than 30, the hair is still greying and the wrinkles still deepening, but I am still smiling (just!)
Probably the biggest bit of news is that we have finally taken the plunge & begun the long considered adventure of home education! The kids, if you ask them, are loving it (though we have had more than the occassional uncooperative moment!), and I am gradually finding my feet. The task is undoubtedly made more 'challenging' by our now toddler, who is in the wonderful 'exploring' stage: pulling books off shelves; fiddling with the PC (takes after her daddy!); & generally doing anything she's not supposed to do! It amazes me that she is able to spend so long determinedly opening kitchen cupboards to retrieve delicious dishwasher tablets when the concentration span for her own 'toddler toys' is no more than 30 seconds!!! I am becoming very skilled at performing tasks one handed with the little whirlwind strapped to my hip! When it works the days are fun & when it doesn't, 'interesting' is perhaps a good word! I am gradually trying to chill & not be too formalised or rigid in our learning, to prepare, but be relaxed, and be ready to rethink and change my plans when necessary.
In so many ways it is great: no uniforms to iron; lunches to make; no dashing around like headless chickens in the mornings, and the quality of family time is so much better. It has been great to take time each morning to read the Bible & pray with the kids, something which in the business of our lives we have never really prioritised. But home schooling is not without its challenges and I must (still) learn to depend on God when I run out of my own reserves (and ideally beforehand!)
I am very pleased that we have finally taken the plunge and won't forever be wondering 'what if...', but we are still very much 'trialling' the whole thing. Interestingly, when asked about returning to school the general consensus is a no (though I am aware that we are still very much in the honeymoon period and the novelty factor is high!) Nevertheless, Poppy's qualification of 'not yet...' requires that I hold lightly this new relaxed life style. If at some point they are keen to return, it becomes unworkable for us or we feel God telling us to send them back we will do so. In the meantime we are enjoying our quality time, practising patience, doing our best to stay in touch with everyone and having fun learning together. It's a wild but wonderful life!
Probably the biggest bit of news is that we have finally taken the plunge & begun the long considered adventure of home education! The kids, if you ask them, are loving it (though we have had more than the occassional uncooperative moment!), and I am gradually finding my feet. The task is undoubtedly made more 'challenging' by our now toddler, who is in the wonderful 'exploring' stage: pulling books off shelves; fiddling with the PC (takes after her daddy!); & generally doing anything she's not supposed to do! It amazes me that she is able to spend so long determinedly opening kitchen cupboards to retrieve delicious dishwasher tablets when the concentration span for her own 'toddler toys' is no more than 30 seconds!!! I am becoming very skilled at performing tasks one handed with the little whirlwind strapped to my hip! When it works the days are fun & when it doesn't, 'interesting' is perhaps a good word! I am gradually trying to chill & not be too formalised or rigid in our learning, to prepare, but be relaxed, and be ready to rethink and change my plans when necessary.
In so many ways it is great: no uniforms to iron; lunches to make; no dashing around like headless chickens in the mornings, and the quality of family time is so much better. It has been great to take time each morning to read the Bible & pray with the kids, something which in the business of our lives we have never really prioritised. But home schooling is not without its challenges and I must (still) learn to depend on God when I run out of my own reserves (and ideally beforehand!)
I am very pleased that we have finally taken the plunge and won't forever be wondering 'what if...', but we are still very much 'trialling' the whole thing. Interestingly, when asked about returning to school the general consensus is a no (though I am aware that we are still very much in the honeymoon period and the novelty factor is high!) Nevertheless, Poppy's qualification of 'not yet...' requires that I hold lightly this new relaxed life style. If at some point they are keen to return, it becomes unworkable for us or we feel God telling us to send them back we will do so. In the meantime we are enjoying our quality time, practising patience, doing our best to stay in touch with everyone and having fun learning together. It's a wild but wonderful life!
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