Homeschool Retreat

Last night I was invited to a homeschool retreat in Middleton. I was a little weary of leaving Sam home yet again this week, and this time from 3:00 to 10:00. I wasn't sure that there would be anything that I could really come away with. It is so easy to feel like there is no one out there that is the same boat as me. Whenever I meet other homeschoolers they all seem so experienced, and doing all these cool things. They are all spending hours a day with their delightful children who's ages range from preschool to college. Here I am with my Kindergartner, and I am just starting out. We only spend limited time daily, because my very active 5-year-old boy just can't stand to sit still that long. Still, I went, hoping that there would be others there who if nothing else would give me the courage to keep going. It was such a great night! The talks were based more on how to be great women, and mothers with a homeschool twist. The speakers were all women who loved their children enough to choose the hard thing and teach them at home. No one thought I was crazy! We were taught how to read scriptures more efficiently, and how to set lifetime goals that can help us to accomplish great things in our lifetime. We were taught that we make ALL the choices. That every minute we choose how to spend our most valuable;e resource: our time. The last speaker shared ideas about how to make every subject fun and exciting for the whole family, and that the most important thing that our children learn from us, is that we are a forever family and their mother loves them more than anything else. It was such a great meeting. I hope to never say again that I can walk away from something like that empty handed. I was so inspired!

Who put the Alphabet in Alphabetical Order?

Well, today we officially started Kindergarten. It feels like we have been leading up to this for years. I could talk all day about all the great reasons to keep my kids home, and why Idaho's laws are too rigid, and why Spencer needs to be at home with me. I have done research on learning styles, and curriculum theories, educational toys, and daily schedules. I think I have some idea of what will work and what will not. Mostly I think I have decided that I love my kids more than anyone else would, and so I can know what they need. I have worried, and prayed, and researched until I thought my head might explode. It is such a grand task, taking charge of educating my children. I have successfully made it through the first day.

We started Saxon math 1 (for anyone who knows texts). Spencer and I looked through the books, and successfully wrote out today's date, month and year. We counted to 30, and spent some time exploring the calendar. We also put the 1 on our number line that will eventually go to 100. We read books about how plants grow, and planted a seed in a "window pot" so we can watch the seed take root and sprout. We matched all the capital letters to their lower case counterparts, and put them in alphabetical order. Spencer can sound out his letters like a pro. (I knew this, but thought I'd start at the beginning anyway.) I am exhausted, but Spencer and Allie are both Happy. They love to have an engaged and happy Mom. I have to say that I couldn't be happier with the first day of Kindergarten.