Seventeen years of homeschooling. Seventeen years!
And as of this post, another homeschooling year is now upon us.
As always….. I have high hopes.
High in the sky homeschool hopes.
I will say that months and months has gone by as I pondered and thought of what the year will look like.
Which courses I desire to complete for the new year. Will I have a structured schedule or not. Books or not. Curriculum focuses or unschooling feel. Morning schooling or afternoon schooling. The length of time I desire to spend the day in schooling.
Ohhhhh….the things I consider every. single. year.
The day after Labor day is when our family generally starts our homeschooling year.
This has been the schedule for us since we moved to South Carolina from Virginia 12 years ago. I’ve had this same schooling schedule all my years through school as well. Start after Labor Day.
It’s a habit hard to break.
Right about now my children start to get the itch to get back to homeschooling. The break is long enough for them.
Yesterday, my 13 year old begged me to let her start her math.
“But I’m not ready for all that just yet,”, I wined.” (Bad Mom right? But I’m not ready!)
Today again, she lamented, “Please Mom can I get started with my school work.”
I pushed back and jerked out, “Later, I’ll show you.”
Again, she pleaded with me, “Mom, when can you show me my Math work.”
Uugghhhh…..finally, I sat down and walked her through how we will use Khan Academy for her Pre-Algebra math and Virtual Homeschool Group for her science.
Uhhhmmm……..”Happy Much,” was the look I gave her. I was in a bit of disgust with her excitement.
But I’m not ready. Next week is almost here. I still wanna play with snap chat! (I do have a life outside of all my *business-professional-racial justice-side of me.*
Excitedly she perked up and blurted out, “Tomorrow I can get up early and do my math, right? It probably would be best.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Sulkenly I begroaned.
Moms, see……I’ve not got all the details laid out yet. I only sketch some thoughts on paper this morning while I was in a meeting.
My high hopes is to create a detailed schedule so-that-every-minute-of-our-schooling-is timed-and-I-know-who-I’m-doing-what-with-at-what-time-while-the-other-is-doing-another-subject.
My high hopes is to start our schooling day after 1 p.m.! Yes, after 1 p.m.  You read correctly. And end the date at 4 p.m. Yes, 4 p.m.!!! That’s only 3 hours. Yes, but a lot will get done. Enough will. Well, what I’ve planned will get done. 🙂
I have realized that as I’m so close to 45 years of age my body does not get going well until around 10ish a.m. By the time I have my quiet time, shower, get all dolled up for the day (that only includes getting dressed, putting my locs in a pony tail and putting on essential oils), check for important social media or email messages it’s close to 11 a.m. Then we need to clean a bit then it’s lunch. So 1 p.m. is feeling and looking SOOOOO good right now.
All are happy about that idea of starting in the afternoon EXCEPT my rising 8th grader. Ugghhhh!! As mentioned, she wants to get started early in the morning.
‘Well….ok little darlin’. Go right ahead! Geesh. (Lol!!)
What will my younger four do during the morning hours you ask?
Well, no worries. I have it all planned out. I mean. Pretty much.
They will have work they can get done without me.
Quite time reading, journaling, writing and mapping.
Ok…..let me reel this all back in.
My point is that I have HIGH HOPES for my homeschooling year for 2017-2018.
I will have my nice little schedule all in place. My new chore list will be in place.
My resources for schooling will be in place.
My children will know their chores to do each day, their work that needs to be completed and the time frame in which it will be expected to be completed.
BUT…..
As a seasoned homeschooler I know that I may have to change, adjust and bend just a bit because we homeschool in the middle of REAL LIFE.
Yes! Real life!!!
And all of my beautiful well planned out homeschooling year may not go as I …. uuhhhmmmm…. planned.
If you don’t know yet….. I’m going to tell you NOW!
Learn to bend. Learn to be flexible. Learn to recognize when a plan isn’t coming together. Learn when you may need to tweek just a bit. And learn when you need to put your heels down in the ground and stay focused to make your schedule work as you planned.
Yeah….all that sounds easy….peasy. Right?
Of course!!
Give yourself grace as needed. I am.
I’m homeschooling FIVE children this year!
I’m lathering on the grace like chocolate lathered all over delicious Krispy Kreme donuts.…which I don’t eat by the way.
But you get what I’m saying.
I’ll be homeschooling with high hopes. High in the sky hopes that all will flow beautifully. But if it doesn’t on that particular day….. I’m going to give myself grace.
Do what we definitely can do and pick up the next day and ensure we hit 180 days or beyond as we get all of the planned work done.
If we keep this fLeXiBiLiTy in view then we will make it successfully to the goal.
Be sure to set your goal(s). Or else you’ll never know if you’ve reached them.
If you need help or have questions along the journey……
I’m just a call, text or email away.
This homeschooling Option 3 director with high in the sky homeschooling hopes is right in the thick of it too. 🙂
2017-2018 homeschooling year…..‘WE GOT YOU!!’
(Be sure to share this blog post with a homeschooling friend. It may be JUST the encouragement they need today.)
Serving Your and Yours,
Angela Jordan Perry, is a wife of 25 years, homeschooling Mom of eight children, mentor, entrepreneur, Young Living direct marketer, mad’am farmer, homeschool Academy director, Toastmasters Competent Communicator recipient, Racial Unity activist and follower of Jesus Christ. Angela and her family makes their home in Campobello, SC.