A New Day, A New Perspective

If you read my last post then you know that I have been struggling to find my path when it comes to homeschooling. When I wrote that last post I was decided and settled on using an online academy. It was the perfect solution for my need to control and have structure. To make sure I was making the right decision I posted a question asking for advice in a homeschool message board that I'm a part of. The advice and feedback I received was overwhelming. I'm so grateful to have found a community of parents who have been there, done that, and are just as enthusiastic about it as I am. They opened up a world of options for me (which can sometimes scare me) and helped alleviate a lot of my concerns.

One of the parents put it perfectly. She said to be careful what I wished for because I was probably going to have even more options now. Well, she was right. But instead of feeling overwhelmed with all of the new knowledge I was given, I was able to get back to where I wanted to be when I had originally decided to homeschool. I want to homeschool to give my kids a different learning experience, not to just "school-at-home". I didn't know how to achieve that though and so I was ready to take the easier way out. I think an online academy is still a great option. Especially since there seem to be some out there that do try to give you as much flexibility as possible. Someday I may still decide to check one out. What I really want to learn more about though, and apply in our home is the  Thomas Jefferson Education philosophy. Many of the other homeschool parents mentioned this philosophy to me, but then one of them broke it down and everything she said was exactly what I had imagined when I thought about homeschooling my kids. If you're at all interested in homeschooling I highly recommend checking out the link. I am by no means an expert, since I'm still scratching the surface on all of this stuff, but from what I've read so far I'm very impressed. I'm buying this book "A Thomas Jefferson Education" to read more in depth about it.

 The cool thing about homeschooling though is that you can pick and choose from different philosophies and adapt them to what is right for your family. I know, more choices right? Well, I'm starting to figure out what kind of homeschool parent I want to be and it's helping me sift through all of the information out there. I'm sure I will still feel out of my element at times. Overwhelmed at times, and even lost at times, but everyday that I learn more, I get more and more confident and excited. Not to mention I'm meeting parents that are extremely helpful and I've been offered many phone numbers to call if I have questions or need help. I spoke to a mother yesterday who told me that there are over 700 (I think that's the right number, if anything it's more) homeschooling households in Davis County alone. Who knew there was such a big homeschool community out there?

My path has already changed a few times, and even more in just the last few days. And it's bound to change once I actually start implementing these things and seeing how the kids do, but with each change I'm feeling better and better. 

Am I Cut Out For This?!

Oh boy! Who knew the universe of homeschooling could be so vast? I have been completely overwhelmed with information. I think I'm a bit Type A and trying to find the perfect home-school scenario for us has taken me a little bit out of my comfort zone. I like options, but when I say options I mean like chocolate or vanilla. If you add strawberry, chocolate chip, rainbow, mint chip, caramel, etc. into the mix then my brain just shuts down. Am I a robot? I'm one of those people that likes to be told how its done and then that's how I do it. I like to follow a path. I do not try to veer from that path. I follow instructions to a T. If I'm making cookies I don't add a little bit of this or a pinch of that. I do what the recipe tells me. In short, I'm crazy! A little OCD, a perfectionist, and just plain annoying. I'm trying to get better. My mom is teaching me how to cook without always following the recipe. My kids are teaching me that my house doesn't always have to look perfect. Being a mom has taught me that I can't always be in control of everything.

Wait, how did this turn into a blog post all about me? When I realized that my personality type doesn't lend itself to being a home-school parent. I'm not great at thinking out of the box and when I do things I like to stick with what I know. What I know is public school. That being said, I am still homeschooling, but I think I'm going to use the help of an online academy. I still have plenty of time to do more research but right now I am leaning towards Washington Online School, it provides you with the flexibility and freedom that people want from homeschooling, but for people like me it helps provide some structure and takes the stress out of planning a years worth of lesson plans. 

It seems like there is an endless amount of curricula that you can purchase to aid you in your homeschooling experience. Some people mix and match their curricula. Some home-schoolers use a method of "unschooling" and then there are parents that make up their own curriculum. This was all very overwhelming to me. What and how am I going to teach my kids!? Information overload. My brain was starting to short circuit. Not to mention I was completely worried about how I was going to do all of this and take care of 3 very young children at the same time. 

I'm glad I've found my answer and that I found what I think will be the perfect balance for our family. 

On a side note: I didn't realize that Cairi won't actually be starting kindergarten until 2014. Her birthday is September 15th and you have to be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1st of that year to enroll for school. I thought she would be starting this coming school year (2013). Phew, I have even more time to research different programs etc. Until then we're still using ABCMouse and reading a lot for our pre-K purposes. 

Aquatics

A while ago we went to the Clearfield Aquatic Center and decided that we need to go a lot more! The kids had the best time and thanks to grandma, La, and James we had enough eyes to watch all the kids...

Lucky for me since I was playing with Sam and let Penelope sit down in the water right where it was too deep for her, I'm a terrible mom. We were in the kiddie pool and she's more than tall enough to walk around but small enough that if she tries to sit her head goes under. Well, she sat and didn't have the desire to stand back up, or couldn't and all the while (it was like a few seconds) I'm right next to her, but focusing on Sam, not even realizing that she's under. Anyway, my mom was right there and saw her and I've felt terrible about it ever since. It's probably one of my biggest fears about taking 4 little kids to a pool. Clearly, I will be taking arm floaties and other things next time we go. Shouldn't I have already though about that?! Truth be told we don't go swimming a lot and I thought that they would be ok since we were in the little kid area. Lesson learned.

Well, despite my lack of parenting skills everybody had a really good time! I'm going to try and get the kids in swimming lessons next year and we're thinking about getting a family pass. They love the water.

 If you want to hold Sam he requires that you let him eat a finger.

Cairi's 4!

I'll probably start crying if I write too much so I'm going to try and keep this short but sweet.

My first little baby isn't so little anymore (I'm pretty sure I say that every year). I mean, she's only four so I guess in the whole scheme of things she's still little, but you know what I'm saying! I swear it feels like she's 16, the way she communicates and is able to understand so much. Cairi is the best helper a mom could ask for. She's extremely outgoing and doesn't know the meaning of the word shy. If any of my kids ever tells me they want to be an actor or performer it will definitely be Cairi. Everywhere we go, if there's people around she tries to put on a show. She's also my sensitive baby. Oh boy, does this girl have the most tender heart and she is just the sweetest. Every night when I lay the kids down to sleep I tell them that they're special and that I love them, well naturally, as loving as Cairi is she has started telling the kids at bedtime that they're special and that she loves them (seriously, she's the best big sis). I am beyond grateful to have been blessed with Cai. She makes me so proud and teaches me so much. I love her more than words can say. Happy 4th birthday to my sweet baby girl! :)

 The day before her birthday we took her to get her ears pierced. Cai is kind of a scaredy cat like me when it comes to some things (especially things that could involve pain) so I thought once we got there she wouldn't want to go through with it. However, she didn't even cry! She was so brave!

 Gabe and Ollie eatin' cake.

 Liam and Nelly

 The birthday girl!!

This Is Why...

So I'm currently a part of a homeschooling message board group for the Davis County area. Today a woman shared an experience that happened to her that perfectly illustrates one of the reasons that I'm really excited to homeschool my kids. Please keep in mind that I know this is not the experience everybody has in the public school system and that I don't necessarily think public school is a bad thing. I loved my public school experience, but I'm just really passionate about doing something different for my kids. Here is that woman's story...

After homeschooling her daughter last year she decided to try an experiment and enroll her daughter in a charter type school. In her second week of school the little girl's teacher assigned her this book for reading - In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories. Her daughter is 6 and this book scared her so much so that she was terrified to go to bed and then ended up having nightmares when she finally fell asleep. Her mom e-mailed the teacher expressing her concern and the effect that it had, had on her daughter. She asked the teacher not to allow her daughter to read those kinds of books anymore and the reply she got was less than appeasing. The teacher condescendingly told her that she would not limit the type of books her students were allowed to read because she felt it was important that they were exposed to all kinds of literature - (apparently regardless of the effect if has on them). The mom then e-mailed the Vice Principal her concerns and very sadly got a similar response. She pulled her daughter out of the school and is once again homeschooling.

It's crazy to me that a parent can show concern about something her child is being taught and be responded to in such a way that clearly shows the teacher didn't care what she thought and she would continue to do as she saw fit.

Again, I know this is not everybody's experience, but it reinforced my feelings about giving my child the learning experience that I want them to have. I don't want somebody else dictating what my child should and should not be learning. I could literally go on and on about why I'm a homeschooling advocate, but this is just one reason.

I will be the person deciding what is ok and not ok for my child to learn. I will also be the one deciding when they are ready to learn it. Sound a little bit controlling? Well, that's ok -they're my kids and if anybody is going to have control over the things that shape their lives and their way of thinking, then I want it to be me.

More Family Fun!

So my kids love hanging out with their cousins. It's been really fun watching them develop relationships and create memories as they've gotten older. This year is really the first year that I think they've all been able to play together on a more equal level so it's been even more fun to get together with them and just let the kids be kids! A few weeks ago we had a BBQ with Chris' sister and her family. The kids had a blast!

We Heart Camping

Last month over the 4th we went camping with mi familia and had so much fun! When we were packing up to leave Cairi said "how many weeks til we go camping again?". The kids had a blast and I'm so glad they love camping just like I did when I was growing up. 

The whole fam. (Ciara and Brett had to leave early because Oliver was throwing up, poor dude)

 On our way.

 Just a little sample of how dirty the kids got! They would love to be mountain people :)

My fave brother!

 Doing a little primping. Even while camping we gals like to look decent.

 The kids were so brave! Gabe was the first one to scale this huge rock BY HIMSELF! Well, Chris was right behind him, but he didn't need any help. He's my fearless child. Cairi got up the rock but was a little scared coming down.

 The pups. Small guys on one side, big guys on the other.

 Cairi posing. So cute.

 The kids loved trying the slingshot with Chris and Uncle James.

How can you not love these dirty faces?!

 Haha. Love those tooshies.

Grandma Kelly and her furry baby girl Kira.

 Gotta have her shades.

 Plumber's crack is so much cuter on a 3 year old!

My little fishermen.

Best buds!

Handsome Chris on the drive home.