How is Homeschooling Thus Far?

It’s been two full months now, now being since we began homeschooling. Since our first day, Sept 4th, we have revamped our program/schedule approximately a half dozen times. Lets see, there was the death of a close family friend that we went to help in a time of need. There was an unexpected circus trip due to those great ticket prices. Then there was the expected field trip that did not happen until two weeks later; that count’s as two. Oh yeah, we found a local homeschoolers organization that meets every first Friday @ 11am and so we welcomed that alteration. That meeting lead to us learning about the homeschoolers swim that meets three times a week but we only attend twice. I was invited to a once in a lifetime makeover @ The Oprah Winfrey Show on a Friday only to be appointed to an 11am appointment on the following Monday. And last but not least, there are the two times our first year high school attendee had schedule changes that we did not plan for which we definitely obliged.
All that said, I can appreciate how homeschooling has adapted to us. As life happened, so did school. We have what is called ‘Life Application’. This is where we place into practice what we have learned from our weeks’ prior lessons. Math calculations are put into practice during drives to & from different errands. The girls are put to test as they are given a few moments to figure out how long it takes to drive a distance according to the speed limit. They are also in charge of planning our shopping trips. They are given a goal along with a budget. This has helped them to not ask for extras when shopping because they actually see where the money goes. (They also get to keep the change.) We visit the sick & shut in bi-weekly to help clean, shop, run errands, or the most popular, read to the senior citizens. Our science curriculum has been expanded to include Planet Earth and now the expertise of a retired science teacher!
There is plenty more to say but let me close with this: Not all days have been good ones. I miss when I could call on another parent to carpool our girls so I could have a day to myself, not to mention a day of rest. While the girls have many opportunities to socialize, they still miss their friends from school. There have been many days of fun and excitement but there has been more days without it. And just when I start to question my capability, the Lord reminds me that I am.
Last week, the girls swim instructor, Coach Donnie met with the swim team and gave them a little pep talk. In the course of his speech, he asked the group what is failure? They gave many answers but it is his that I took to heart and I now bring to you. Failure is another opportunity to try again more intelligently. Wow! I never thought about it that way but I certainly do concur with him. If this year of homeschooling was a failure, next year would present another opportunity to try again more intelligently! But wait a minute! Natia, the straight A student that needed a challenge got it. Her current report card holds A’s B’s & two C’s. She is a 4th grader working @ an advanced 5th grade level.
Natalie, the 6th grader who questioned her intelligence made honor roll! Believe me, her curriculum wasn’t dumbed down. The difference is homeschooling allows her to work at here pace. Some days are longer and some are shorter but each day is just right for her.
How is homeschooling going? It’s going as God planned it.