First week of school

This was Tyler's and Alex's first week of school.
Tyler spent the week getting up early and riding his bike to class, packing in full days and then staying after to study.  Only to come home and discover that I was a frazzled mess and we were having breakfast for dinner, at 8pm. Everynight.

Alex and I spent the first week wondering if this homeschool thing was going to work.  We were inundated with e-mails, "assemblies", on-line assessments and computer problems for the first 4 days of the week, only to have all our problems solved on Friday and discover we had been doing 230% when only 80% was expected.  They really should do that parent teacher conference on the first day of school, not the 5th.

I really spent the week in a panicked mess.  I didn't have time to cook, do laundry, clean anything or give anyone extra attention.  I was convinced homeschool was the biggest mistake I'd ever made and my children were going to hate me by the end of it.
 Monday we finished school at 4:30 after 8 long hours of class,  Tuesday we worked until 6:30 and Wednesday we didn't even get everything finished.  Thursday Alex didn't even want to start and I didn't blame her but on Friday- glorious Friday, we hit our stride!  Classes done by Noon and a visit to the rainbow park in the blistering heat of the afternoon. We were so happy.

It's not as though I was teaching all day.  With Quinn needing feedings and attention, Heidi dropping in to participate or distract when she desired and meals to provide- we did lot's of "not school" in that time too.

I had to write about it though so I could look back at the end of the year and (hopefully) see how much things have changed.  I can already see that this is going to be good.  I feel as though we are closer and happier.  We are spending so much more quality time together and I have no time to get the essentials done, let alone have any of it leftover to waste!!!  I'm already learning more patience than ever before!!!!  I have to keep my temper if I want my 5 year old to listen to me teach and participate in anything!  Yelling doesn't get my anywhere I've learned, but loving and hugging and listening does.

I've learned that Alex is really very smart.  She picks up on things very quickly and these beginning lessons are redundant for Heidi let alone Alex.  That was part of our problem.  I was doing everything from the book, reading every line and making her do every assignment and question.  After the 5th lesson on shapes and colors she was rolling her eyes at me when I asked her to point to something yellow!  I now know I can teach her how I want as long as the objectives are met and she passes the tests!  So great!

Heidi loves to be a part of things and to help be the teacher.  She wants homework like Alex and really wants to do the online "games".  I can see that this will be good for her as well.  And Quinn, thank heaven Quinn has slept a lot this week.

So here we go, onto round 2.  Hopefully I get 2 seconds to take a picture this week!