It’s official. Today starts our 10th year of homeschooling.
I got my students up around 7:00. When they were all gathered around snuggled in blankets and ready for devotions. I asked them if they would like to go out for breakfast or if they would rather pick up doughnuts and bring them back home. They chose doughnuts. Which was fine by me. I can’t argue against cheaper and easier!
We spent half an hour in devotional and prayer time
the finished chalkboard
and then we went to town for those doughnuts. At home glasses of milk were poured and then the feeding frenzy began.
After breakfast our day took flight.
Nine full years of homeschooling has provided for a pretty solid routine. I don’t sway from it much. The wonderful thing about it is I don’t have to remind the boys what is expected of them! After our sugar laden, non-nutritional breakfast the boys just jumped in to the routine like we had never stopped.
Chores inside and out, personal Bible time, Piano playing, and Teeth brushing (all this is required through the summer break also) Check, Check, Check. All was accomplished and we started school right on time at 9:00 AM.
Each boy grabbed his books, no prompting from me and settled into their Monday morning work. I would explain our school schedule in detail, but I’m sure I would lose half of my readers after the first paragraph or two. Let me just say that we do things a bit differently with the younger two boys. We combine several of their subjects and they do a weeks worth on Monday and Tuesday. The remaining subjects they do a weeks worth of on Wednesday and Thursday. A few things like spelling and reading are done daily. But, if they get every thing accomplished in those four days they get Friday off. It is a great incentive! My oldest does not care for this type of schedule and follows a more typical one.
Lots of brain power was used and some serious scratching of pencils could be heard. There were a few distractions and a lot of, “Mom, can you…?” I did notice I need to re-iterate that I am only one person teaching 4 different grade levels. I can’t be at everyone’s side at the same time! When things got a bit harried I had Lauren play near by with a basket of toys and I focused on what the boys needed.
By 11:30 everyone was finished with what was required of them individually.
Lunch was served and then Joel took over lessons!
Our propane tank needed paint BAD. Joel had the boys scrape it and paint it. Middle boy, being the conservative that he is thought he would squeeze the paint out of the sponge brush he was using because it was too full. He ran to the faucet to rinse off the paint only to find that it wouldn’t come off. Joel teasingly told him it would take a couple of years to come off. Poor guy! He thought his dad was serious and that he would have to walk around with silver hands.
Eventually we convinced him we could get if off and he went to work.
After their afternoon of “learning” to clean the pool, and really learning to paint the propane tank, and cleaning out the rabbit barn. They were in my realm again. The younger boys and I sat down and read our history and science books together. And before I knew it the day had skipped away.
That’s how these school days go. Packed with learning all day through. Books, projects, writing, major learning of intellectual knowledge going on in the mornings and life lessons and work ethic in the afternoon. It’s how we roll around here!
And if you have a moment head over to At The Well for my latest article on Reflections on the Home.
