My whole goal of this blog is to help me remember what we did and our experience of home school. So I guess I need to admit the hard stuff along with the good. With a few exceptions, this week pretty much sucked for me.
I love working.
I really do. I am the kind of person who would work even if I was retired. I work as a hobby. Not all of it pays, but I like to be busy and engaged. But this week, my work work – the stuff I get paid for – finally brought me to my knees. I am way over committed and as a result, I made two mistakes that painfully reminded me things are out of whack. I am not brave enough to confess to the mistakes in this blog but don’t worry – they have burned a path in my brain. I got the message. I need to get a grip.
I think I am over-planning.
Okay, so now that I have confessed I am a work-junkie, this next part makes sense. I think I have been “over planning” Katie’s home school work for the week. I realized this was going to be a learning curve, but I am truly starting to appreciate how “life” serves up a number of unexpected opportunities to teach.
I knew we were going to the fair, but when we were there, we started to notice the things that are vital to the local economy – so we took pictures. Ta Da! Learning! Gramma had Katie on Thursday (while I was at the client’s) and they got totally hands on about ounces, cups, pints, quarters, teaspoons, tablespoons and how many freaking tablespoons are in a barrel! Apparently they had a blast! And the information stuck.
So many outside resources.
The home school Activity Days started this week and that got Katie really excited. A chance to go somewhere, hang with kids and learn in a creative way (they are studying geology) felt more “normal” to her. I am so grateful to have that start so she has something to look forward to.
We also started with a weekly tutor focusing on math and science. It turns out Dee is a PhD candidate in Atmospheric Physics (are you kidding me?!) and Katie was so worried she was going to be an uber geek. But when she pulled up, out walked this smokin’, cool, dressed as a totally Santa Cruz-hip woman who was not only brilliant but funny and engaging. What a role model! They spent the first 10 minutes talking about getting a doctorate. Holy smokes. Awesome.
So what have I learned?
To slow down. Do less. Let life do some of the heavy-lifting. I know this is wisdom experienced home school folks have already acquired. Hopefully, one day, I will join your ranks!