Chaos 2 Calm : Back to (Home) School: My "Class"

Like so many others, yesterday was our first day back to school, but for us...we don't need to leave the comfort of our own home! We are among the growing number of home-schoolers, and have been for years. We've been home-schooling since our oldest was two years old, almost 9 years ago now. Wow! I can't believe it's been that long.

Home-schooling is just the everyday normal to me, but I know for those out there who are curiously watching from the side-lines, the more information the better. Some are even trying to determine if this life-style leap is for their family. So...I'm going to spend some time in the next several posts giving a little more detail than normal about our home-schooling life.

If you're one of the curious, stay tuned (or sign up for the e-mail option). I'll be sharing my personal why's, when's, how's, likes and dislikes, etc.

For now, let me just introduce you to my students...my three beautiful children:

My oldest, Abby, is 10 and is definitely our studious one at this point. She learns really well through reading and so we load on the books!! She loves art and science and enjoys learning about civilizations such as the Egyptians and Romans. Abby prefers studying outdoors when the weather permits and can be found most days on the swing or up a tree reading. She reads about 3-4 hours a day, including everything from specific encyclopedias (she studied anatomy last year) to teeny-bopper novels. We limit her workbooks to only what's absolutely needed, since we don't want to take up valuable reading time with busy work. See the stack by her right knee? Out of all the books surrounding her, those are the only workbooks. Happy 5th grade, Abby!

Abram, my second child, ALL boy, can't sit still to save his life. We're working on it, but he's only 8 so no worries. I can hardly believe my little fire-cracker is starting 3rd grade! He's as smart as a whip, but you would never guess it if he were confined to a table and chair. I learned a long time ago to not worry about where this child was or what he was working on...as long as he was in ear-shot of what was going on. He is EVERYWHERE! During the history reading, for example, he might be spinning on the floor, flipping his legs over the back of the couch, spinning on the breakfast stool, laying on his back swinging his legs in the air, or snuggled next to me with his head in my hip and his feet over the arm of the couch. But...when I'm asking the comprehension questions...he gets them right. I could sit him down and make him do a workbook page in math, but 2 hours later he'd be on the SAME page and in tears. However, when I verbally ask him the questions (such as, "72+33 is?" or "What's 6 x 2?") and only have him sit down to do the problems requiring visual attention, he can get through three lessons in one sitting. Go figure. I DO make him sit down for periods of time to practice sitting still...but I pretty much accept that these stretches of time are our least productive times of his day.

Joshua, or Bubzy, is my spoiled baby. He gets held a lot, talked to even more, and if one person's too busy, no doubt he'll find someone to give attention. He's a big handful but everybody just adores him. "What's that?" is his constant question and he's learned to say quite a bit already. Whether it's something we understand or not, he never stops talking unless he's asleep.