Academic Rigor vs. Readiness

I read a TOS article [the link is at the end of this post] (I get their weekly e-mail and enjoy it very much) that I found very interesting and it required me to do a little soul searching.

Although I thought I couldn't teach Latin and was shaking in my boots about it (especially considering I'd never taken it), the kids are doing fine with it. I'm pleased. Am I pridefully pushing my kids? I was able to answer 'no'. I've seperated the girls in their pacing of Latin, even though it's more work for me, so one is moving faster than another and they soon will be in 2 different books.

Although I don't want my kids' school to be too hard, I also don't want them to think it's all fun and games. Do I give them the impression that school is all about fun? Or do I make it too difficult for them? I honestly think I'm ok in both areas, although there have been times in the last 6 years that I've had to adjust things because I found myself falling into one of these pitfalls.

Although I want my children to get the best education they can, I knew several people in highschool that pushed themselves to their limit and emotionally burned out at an early age.

It's all a balancing act (BALANCE is one of Dave's favorite words).

That's one of the things I like about classical education. My children have not all reached the stages at the same chronological age. Some have been in the transition between two stages much longer than others and all have different strengths in different subject areas.

Here is a great article about an interview with Susan Wise Bauer who wrote Story of the World that we use extensively in our homeschool.

Piggy Games

Things I wish I'd known

I've learned alot from homeschooling - these are things I wish I'd known from the beginning :

Things I wish I'd known...

I wish I knew that if my happy dd consistently cried through math that it wasn't because of deficiencies in her or me -- we needed to keep trying math programs until one fit us (Math-U-See). I spent so many of my own tears on the fact that I was "failing" to teach her math and that I was "failing" her and that she was "failing" math. Except for the prayers, they were waisted tears.

I wish I knew not to be afraid of other homeschoolers. I'd had a fair amount of rejection out in the world and dd and I spent our first year of hsing desperately lonely. It took me making friends of the moms to find homeschool friends for her AND IT WAS SOO WORTH THE EFFORT! These were not people who rejected our oddities but allowed themselves to be vunrable so we could see them for who they were -- these were kindred spirits. I didn't realize the effort I'd have to make in finding friends of my own to find friends for her, and I didn't realize the wonderful payoff, either.

I wish I'd known how much I'd have to teach myself about my faith to pass it on. I knew I'd have to learn some Latin to teach it, but somehow I thought I knew all I needed to about my faith. I know now how much continuing education I need (LOTS) to adequately form these children.

I wish I knew how much "success" I'd have in homeschooling circles. When I tried to make a difference at my parish, I was just off from many other people and couldn't get much accomplished. When I applied that same effort in homeschool groups, I was shocked how much I got accomplished!

These are things that others have said that resonated with me, too:
* I wish I would have know to not worry so much. They will learn in spite of your least efforts most of the time.
* Set up some notebook or scrapbook of all that they have memorized--prayers, poems, and songs.
* What I would do differently (and what I'm trying to do now that I didn't do with the first children) is BE MORE RELAXED (not stress over the little things...to take things as they come...chaos will ensue some days....plans will not always be implemented perfectly, but that's ok....make a plan and try to generally stick with it, but it's ok to adjust too.)

Things I'd still like to know ...

I wish (this is present tense) that I could set aside the work for the day and spend more time cuddled on the couch reading to them (but then they start touching each other and end up wrestling and I have to discipline them and it's easier to have them at their desks).

I wish (present tense) I had a better feel for discipline (self and others) vs. fun. I always feel like this balance eludes me. Now that I've experienced 4 toddlers, I have a much better handle on how much discipline a toddler takes and what things are only worth giggling about rather than getting angry. When I've graduated 4 kids I think I'll have a feel for the line between discipline and fun -- just when I don't need it. anymore!

Abortion -This is a Dismemberment Abortion

Abortion -This is a Dismemberment Abortion There aren't any gorey pictures on this, just facts.

Like many other people, I wasn't sure what I thought of pro-choice until I had my first baby. Now I know that babies deserve the choice to make choices and not have those choices taken from them.

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

Our beautiful baby is 6 months old, now!! The day before his 6 month birthday he learned to roll over from his tummy to his back. On his 6 month birthday, he learned to roll the other way!! We're so proud and excited about our adorable gift from Heaven!!

He was trying to catch butterflies like his siblings did at Botanical Gardens.

First Communion

May Day 2008

To celebrate the month of Mary right, we had friends over and did ...

• a May crowning


• made May baskets with a "Mary" theme and took them to other friends


• listened to & sang Mary songs


• some of the kids made a clothespin Mary doll

Some of the inspiration for these things came from the ideas on these blogs:

Marian May Basket i.e. Paper Cup Challenge

May Day Baskets

The children did a lovely job!