Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Thus we begin a new school year

September 9, 2011

Our 17th year of homeschooling to be exact. Yep, we started homeschooling in the fall of 1994 – it seems so long ago in some ways, but in others it has really gone quickly.

I decided in spring that year that I’d had enough of the school malarky we were experiencing and figured I could do just as good a job (possibly better) than they were doing. So, I decided to take the leap of faith (I had been looking into homeschooling for at least a year and possibly two) and dived in. I went with Our Lady of the Rosary School – a Catholic homeschool program – and ordered the K and 3rd grade programs. My students were Matt and Jeff – Chris was only 3 so he just ran around I suppose :-).

That first year was a doozy and I did not think I would make it at times. I know I threatened to put the kids in school at least 1/2 a dozen times a week, but I knew deep in my heart it would never happen. I knew this was what we were supposed to be doing. Well, that first year passed and I decided to not do the packaged curriculum again even though it was pretty good. I started getting educational catalogs in the mail and that was all I needed to put together my own curriculum. The next year I had even more fun :-). My only regret? I wish I had found Math U See and Handwriting Without Tears way back then. I think they would have made life much easier for the kids and I.

We persevered and I stopped threatening to send the kids to school as I began more and more to enjoy teaching them. What did my family think? Well, at first my folks were less than thrilled and when I became pregnant with Steve, baby and boy #4, they were worried that I was taking on more than I could handle. I out and out told my dad one day that we would manage and it was going to be fine. After they, they stopped bothering me about it. In fact, my mother is now one of biggest backers and my two brothers and my sister also are behind me in this endeavor. I am SO thankful for their support through the years!

I did have one year, the year we moved into our current house, when I experienced burnout. Little did I know that it was also the beginning of my descent into hell (depression). I picked up some new books – Real Learning and Well Trained Mind – and it gave me the boost I needed to revamp what I was doing. Then, in 2006, I discovered Sonlight – this change has made a HUGE difference in how we do school. My kids were immediately attracted to the fantastic books and we started on a journey of learning delight that has remained with us since.

So, how are we doing today? We are doing well although I am aware of a few glitches here and there. However, it is nothing major and nothing we cannot solve. I am excited about all our new books and my new outlook on life and look forward to more years of learning with my children.

Happy New School Year!!

2 comments
Comments

On September 16, 2011 at 12:32 AM, Joyce said:

Happy New School Year! I finished my teaching career after 17 yrs and now have been "retired" for 2. I started in '92 and found SL in '02 I think. Have a great year!

On September 17, 2011 at 9:57 AM, java_queen said:

Thanks Joyce ((HUG)).

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» Thus we begin a new school year » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Thus we begin a new school year

September 9, 2011

Comments

On September 16, 2011 at 12:32 AM, Joyce said:

On September 17, 2011 at 9:57 AM, java_queen said:

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