Thursday, March 6, 2008

Will we make it?

With our recent move and our out of town trips for funerals and such, our homeschooling has been on the back burner for quite sometime. I am fining it hard to get back on schedule, and the schedule seems to be just dragging on and on. Shelbi for some reason this year has had a larger work load than Alyssa, and with us starting late and taking extra time off, it just seems to be getting worse and worse. I have had to reschedule the girls numerous times here recently, which in turn leads to extending our schedule way out into the summer. So to avoid schooling the entire summer, I decided to double up on some subjects. Well that wasn't working either. Shelbi would have 10-14 lessons a day to complete! That was going to be impossible. So I contacted her home room teacher this morning, and she was able to reduce some of the lessons, and reschedule her to 5-6 lessons a day. That was a huge relief for me. We are still going to have to keep on top of it to get it all done, but it definitely looks possible now.

Home schooling this year has been a lot like I thought it would be. I knew that I would do well with it all at the beginning of the year, and get a little burnt out by Christmas, and that we wouldn't always be able to finish every day "on schedule" Knowing this has made it easier in some ways. I didn't set unrealistic goals for the girls, or myself, and so when everything didn't turn out perfect, I didn't feel like a huge failure. I know time will quickly pass, and this homeschooling year will soon be behind me. I just need to stay focused, and catch my second wind.

I'm not sure what next year holds. I have contemplated putting the girls back in public school, but they really aren't for that, and I'm not sure if I am either. I'm not to sure if I want to stick with the online program. There are a few things I like about it, and some things I really don't like. I guess I just need to do some praying about it. Right now I am just trying to focus on finishing this year.

10 comments:

Mrs.Martin said...

I will say a prayer for you, these are big decisions and ones I had to make too. After having two graduated, I feel better and better about homeschooling and just having the decisions made, was half the battle for me.

Trina said...

I think the battle to homeschool or not to homeschool is one of the hardest on us moms. I will say a prayer with you too Marisela. It has taken me many years to get to the place that I am at homeschool wise, so I can relate. The joys of homeschooling is that you can do more with the brethren, but the downfall is that you can feel behind by getting to do more with the brethren. Oxymoron, right?

Mom of 3, Aunt of 16 said...

I think the difficulty with this form of "homeschooling" is the work load. One of my children's teachers said that in all public schools things get skipped and not done at all. So what I'm trying to say is that in traditional homeschool or public school there is alot less work. They hopefully learn the same things with less practice. I'll be praying that God will show you and Sean his will. It is so nice to depend on our husbands wisdom and insight in these things.

Sis. Lori P. said...

This is exactly what my struggle has been all the years we've homeschooled! You'd think that now that everyone's grown up and I'm only homeschooling one that we'd have it all together? But now, Son #6 and I run around a lot more than what we all did back then...we've gotta go see those grandbabies and babysit for my daughter in laws and Son #6 is right there with me! But he's learning life lessons that public school children are not learning. He helps me keep things up here at home, shops with me, makes faces at me at the library while I'm helping a patron so I can hardly keep a straight face myself...the list goes on! Don't worry, Marisela...it will all work out in the end and you'll have these beautiful children who adore you for taking the time to be there for them at home!

Chantel H said...

It takes prayer every year to figure out just what works for your family that year. Good luck.

Sabriena said...

Well, we usually school a little all throughout the summer, but that is our whole family. I can see where it would be hard for Alyssa and Shelbi to be doing school through summer while their sisters weren't. And hard for you, too! I don't know anything about online schooling, so I won't knock it, but I think that I prefer what I do. Recently, I've been doing only science. Then I am going to do only Algebra, then only geography, etc. Sometimes that is easier, sometimes harder. I'll be praying for your family about this, I've never been a homeschooling mother, but I know it can be hard.

Cherrie said...

You sound like a normal homeschooler, we have our ups and downs. I am glad the teacher worked with you that is awesome in its self. Before you know it summer will be here and this will all be a memory.

Jules said...

Wow, I can only imagine how hard it is to homeschool and have a lot of stuff going on in your life besides that. I don't know how you do it! Good luck on getting back to a normal schedule, you can do it!

meNmykids said...

You can do it, you can do it, you can do it. That is funny coming from me right now. I'll pray for you, you pray for me. Deal?

sister of six said...

nice me next im terning 13 in two months so came owt please