Let The Homeschooling Begin

Our dear Sacred Heart Homeschool is in session! We have been "officially" learning since September 5th. Our three oldest, a fresh fifteen year old, a thirteen and a half year old and a twelve and a half year old are all doing their 9th grade with Seton Home Study, a Catholic program. Our nine year old, third grader, is using Catholic Heritage Curricula. We are extremely satisfied with both programs. Seton is more challenging, which is a positive. CHC is very light-hearted and well, fun. Why burn the young ones out on school work when you don't need to?

Homeschooling has been the best thing we've ever done as a family! It really is a lifestyle, when one takes into consideration the new life you recieve when you work together and get to know each other in a whole new way. My children thrive and really enjoy their lessons!

Something I have learned: Making a schedule for everyone for every hour is the best way for us to stay on track. Seriously, I am not an organized person. While I love the house to look fresh and clean, I don't FEEL like being the one to do it. So, after reading book-A Mother's Rule-I decided to try it and see if I could reform my lazy, procrastinating ways. First, I thought about all the things that normally need to be accomplished. After writing these down, I brainstormed and came up with some other things that should be done and are avoided because we "don't want to." Next, I thought about what the children and parents need: how much sleep, daily personal care, whether they need snacks, what times should meals be, what times classes should be and when to squeeze in activites and housework.

At the end of my musings, I came up with a MASTER schedule. I used the fancy table-maker from Works. I made columns and the time went on the side, with our names on top. Each activity was given a time to accomplish. For instance, my wake-up time is 5:10. I get dressed and get on the treadmill, while my husband showers etc. After, I make his lunch, we pray together, he wakes up the children at 6:00, and leaves for work. At 6:00, the kids cycle through their "personal care"-two kids take showers in the morning and the other two at night. The ones not showering do their "morning chores"-which the instructions are to be found on a supplemental sheet so they know exactly what is expected. Things like; make your bed, throw your clothes down the chute, pick up laundry and put away etc. So, we leave at 6:45 for Holy Mass which begins at 7:00. We return at 7:45. Have a big, healthy breakfast. We finissh our morning chores which is laundry for me and cleaning up kitchen. We begin learning at 8:30. Each hour has a class. They kids know what to do because of the lesson plans their curricula offers. I cycle through helping and teaching between the "big" kids and my "little" one. There is a 15 minute break at 10:30-if they accomplish what they should have and I serve them a snack. We go back to classes until lunch, which is 1:00. Little one is finished with her classes and she and I work on the afternoon chores. I slip upstairs to the homeschool room to help the big kids in their final classes of the day. By 2:30 they are usually finished and they work on getting the afternoon chores done. We work together. I have everything that needs to be done, scheduled, including the frequency and who is supposed to do it.

The good news here is that I have learned to be neater...we all appreciate organization much more-before trying a schedule I hated to feel "boxed in" and "rigid". Since then, I am much more relaxed and the house is clean. Personally, I feel like I am finally one of "those Moms" who others envy. I have gotten it all together! I definitely know that one can have a big house to clean, have more than one kid and homeschool and STILL have dinner waiting for their husband, while looking great. I am so much more...relaxed, I guess is the word...and at ease at night, knowing I did my best and it was good enough, finally. So, my down-time is guilt-free and it feels so good.

The key is to realize that we are all weak. We need God to get through the responsibilities He is requiring of us, according to our state in life. I take time to pray during the day for my personal growth. I say, "Dear Lord, please help me get my work accomplished. I don't feel like doing it. I want to go back to bed. Help me, please!" Guess what? God always gives me that extra umph to go on, despite my thyroid hormone conversion problem-low T3 levels are a killer.

God wants us to homeschool. He has proven this to us. With that in mind I think of a song from Scripture- "If God is for us, who can be against? If the Spirit of God has set us free..."
God is for me and He has set me free from laziness.....

God Bless Us ALL!