Readjusting the Sails: Single parenting, homeschooling ds while working

[kerenlynne]

So sorry you are going through this. I have been looking at American History for a History lover so my goals are different but I do think the story telling in William Bennett's America the Last Best Hope would appeal to many students. There is a companion website for a full curriculum plan but the book itself is pretty neat. Also the book What so Proudly We Hail http://www.whatsoproudlywehail.org/book#praise might give some interesting supplemental US History. Here is a link to using Netflix to teach US History http://www.yarnsoftheheart.com/2008/09/using-netflix-to-teach-history.html which might be a really good way to supplement the desire to just study the wars in depth. As to the rest of the year, I agree with the posters above to let the rest of this year be as non-stressful as possible. Work on what has to be done and just give yourselves time to grieve. I hope you can find the balance you need. Last year I was working full-time with a homeschooled student and it was very difficult, but if your son is motivated you are very fortunate and it will be okay.

[elegantlion]

I appreciate all the input. I'll be looking through links and such tomorrow. I had considered Beautiful Feet at one point. I may be better off compiling from what I already own, which will be more than enough, I think. I believe having it lined out with assignments and output will be crucial. At this point I'd like to have a conversion van, throw in some books, the dog, the kid, take the cat to grandma's and go on a road trip for about six months. Not going to happen, but I'd like to.

[laughing lioness]

:grouphug: Girlfriend :grouphug: Just wanting to re-iterate what's already been said. Take it slow and easy. And if you get nailed down what it is you need, could you post it? I know I have some stuff sitting around of and I'm sure others do as well - maybe we could help supply you for the fall? -

TOS just had a blog hop on homeschooling through a crisis- there might be something of help to you in the links (at the bottom of the post). have you checked out Schoolhouse Teachers.com? It's very inexpensive and FULL of classes.

I'll be joining you in the work-force soon (actively looking as we speak) - my prayers and good wishes are with you as you look!

[Sahamamama]

I appreciate all the input. I'll be looking through links and such tomorrow. I had considered Beautiful Feet at one point. I may be better off compiling from what I already own, which will be more than enough, I think. I believe having it lined out with assignments and output will be crucial. At this point I'd like to have a conversion van, throw in some books, the dog, the kid, take the cat to grandma's and go on a road trip for about six months. Not going to happen, but I'd like to.

 

Hey, Paula. :grouphug:

 

My girls are much younger than Z is, but I will have to admit that the approach we are taking this year to History has been working so well. It's just so simple. After trying to coordinate numerous library books for a few years, my Number One Requirement for this year was that the books all be in the house. Once I made the list, ordered the books, labelled them, and put them in two old dresser drawers in chrono order, the work was basically done. The girls are reading through the majority of the books on their own, and we also go through the books as read alouds. Narrate, discuss, etc. Add-in a few audiobooks, a few DVDs, and we have a course (on their level).

 

Now... with a 15/16 year old high schooler who is not thrilled with History, naturally you'd have to adapt it. What I like about the Beautiful Feet guides is that the teacher calls the shots -- you get to say what is "enough" and you get to choose from the topics that you think will hold the most interest for him. At the same time, it provides enough guidance so that you have a basic structure for your course, a rough outline of topics for the period under study. And, you get plenty of recommendations for your reading list. It helps to fill in those gaps, KWIM, so you don't forget to find a few resources about the Stock Market Crash (or whatever).

 

Another (free) option for this approach is A Book in Time, but with that you have to sift through the recs to find books on Z's level and the list is not at all complete.

 

http://www.abookinti...merica1900.html

 

Just another thought, it might be fun for him -- now, don't take offense, I'm not implying anything! Check out United States History for Dummies. There's an AP version, an SAT II version, and something else, I don't remember now [uS Military History -- for the "wars with guns" -- LOL], Civil War for Dummies, and a Plain Vanilla version of US History. Also, there's US Constitution for Dummies, which could be a handy reference. These guides are helpful, visual, and humorous. HTH.

[Kareni]

I've no particular suggestions for you, but I want to send positive thoughts your way. All the best to you and your son as you sail these new waters.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Scarlett]

I appreciate all the input. I'll be looking through links and such tomorrow. I had considered Beautiful Feet at one point. I may be better off compiling from what I already own, which will be more than enough, I think. I believe having it lined out with assignments and output will be crucial. At this point I'd like to have a conversion van, throw in some books, the dog, the kid, take the cat to grandma's and go on a road trip for about six months. Not going to happen, but I'd like to.

 

 

I missed this thread until now. I was gone out of town to a wedding.....anyway, wanted to say I am sorry and I hope you can sort the schooling out.

 

I think your ds will be fine on the academics whatever you decide upon. You have given him a great foundation and that is a invaluable gift.

 

What I worry about is him spending too much time alone......hopefully he can spend a good part of his week working with your parents or some such. And I agree he needs physical activity.

 

Be kind to yourself. I remember the early days of my separation....I couldn't sleep and that caused me a lot of trouble.

[elegantlion]

Today is one of those weak days. There is so much going on that I can't post, it's simply draining. It will be okay in the end, but we're no where near the end yet. This is sort of my theme song today, pulling one from my own emotional archives. I love this tune, it's hauntingly beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFWUm_n3-PA

[swimmermom3]

My friend, you will rise again, stronger and wiser. Of that, I am very confident. :grouphug:

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.c...ed/0Aqr_D8c1Sk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Okay, how do you all actually put the video screen on this page?

 

Lyrics for "Amongst the Waves" by Pearl Jam

[elegantlion]

copy and paste, the easy button for WTM.

[swimmermom3]

Dancing Naked

 

i will

dance naked

when i first

learn

to walk...

and there

will be

a rainbow of light

colors

to blind

the binding minds

the closed hearts

of the men and women

who said

"never"

i will not

simply walk

but

fly

with wings of gold

woman

warrior

feeling with a heart

the fineness of the journey

and dancing naked

at the edge of dawn

is the gate

that moves my soul

into the endless

realm

of possibility.....

 

by Kris Radish

[Kfamily]

Just sending you more of these.... :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: ! I wish I could give them IRL.

[prairiegirl]

I am just seeing this now. Paula, I am so sorry. :grouphug: :grouphug: My heart is hurting with you right now. I don't have any advice about next year other than give it a bit of time before you tackle its logistics. When my dh and I separated, all I had the energy for was to just be. So that is what I say to you for right now. Just be. Deal with the rest later. :grouphug:

[Chrysalis Academy]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

((( hugs to you )))

 

I have not read the other replies yet.

 

I'm not a single parent ,but I do work. And, I've been asked to work as much as possible. I could work 40/week IF I wanted to. Also, we might be looking a job change/move in the next few months. So, I do understand uncertainty!

 

I will be homeschooling my 15 yo son regardless of the number of hours I work, moving, or whatever we may be facing. I do not have money to outsource anything. My son also has some problems doing lessons on his own. I'm home today and he is happily doing his lessons in his room. When I am at work the lessons are half heartedly done and sometimes not done at all.

 

My son does love to read. So, I am going to capitalize on that! He will read history and literature when I am not home. I have not made final decisions but I'm thinking very strongly toward a pure WTM 'humanities block' along with math and science done with textbooks. I plan on using Spiegovel's Western Civ text.... the one that has an accompanying workbook ... as our spine. One chapter a month, one 'great book' read together and discussed a month, one other classic read independently per month, and one 2 to 4 page paper per month. I will take one day per month to plan more details. Math and Science will be textbooks. French will be computer program.

 

On "most" days I do not have to leave for work until 1pm... that gives us the whole morning to work together and will leave him the whole afternoon for reading. I'll prob listen to an audio of our 'great book' commuting to and from work.

 

I'm thinking that this will take less of my time and energy than assigning textbook work and checking daily assignments! it will certainly be more interesting for me!

 

We are also going to school year round.

 

((( hugs and prayers )))

 

We'll probably also schedule a 30 minute chore time each morning to do housework together.

 

Edited to add:

Now that I've read the other replies....

Someone else mentioned that textbooks can be a good thing. I AGREE!

 

We had a time of crisis several years ago and our homeschool went from CM/WTM to textbooks and workbooks. Textbooks saved our homeschool for several years! And textbooks/workbooks/switched on school house might be the best thing for you this year.

[besroma]

:grouphug:

[J-rap]

I just saw this post, and I want to say that I'm very sorry for what you are going through! I can tell you how we did a few things the year following my husband's stroke.

 

My two youngest were just entering 10th and 11th grades, and we spent that entire year away from home, driving to various rehab facilities, living in strange places, etc. My complete attention was on helping my husband. My girls homeschooled pretty much independently that year, and were alone a lot. We did a combination of online courses, plus lots of dvd's, even Youtube videos. My 10th grader was doing U.S. History, and she read through the History of US series and supplemented with lots of interesting DVD's about U.S. History on Netflix or the local library. Like Ken Burns, Roots, All Quiet on the Western Front -- there are so many! She also read lots of historical memoirs, which she found fascinating. That's really all she did for history, but without tons of extra projects related to it, she could just immerse herself in it and really enjoy it all, and she actually learned a lot that way.

 

For science, we used a textbook that had online short videos and online exercises to go with it, some of them game-like and fun. She did "virtual experiments" -- we just found online ones on Youtube to watch.

 

The girls would sometimes end up working late into the night because of the weird schedules we were on. They spent time with relatives, when possible.

 

That's also the year they both really got into their "passions" -- because they had so much time alone, with not a lot of structure, and when we were on the road they didn't have much else to do. One daughter threw herself into her songwriting and guitar, and the other wrote two novels. I think it was their defining year as far as figuring out some major lifelong interests.

 

We did a lot of things by the seat of our pants that year, and that was 2-3 years ago now. Honestly, my girls look back at that year as fine, and even kind of fun, because we did things so differently and I think they felt like they were spies living an undercover life, always on the run, alone, and doing things late into the night. :)

 

I know it's different in that my girls had each other. It sounds like you and your son are good buddies, and your son may very well thrive in a challenging situation where he has different and unique opportunities.

 

All the very best to you. Take time to just slowly work your way through this, and things will work out. No need to plan much in advance at this point.

[elegantlion]

Again, thank you all. I keep coming back to take in bits and pieces. This has been a long week.

[BridgeTea]

I'm sorry for your troubles. Keep readjusting those sails, knowing there are clearer days ahead.

 

You've given your son a solid academic foundation. You've built an awesome relationship. He knows you have his best interests at heart - even if there are days he chooses to act like a butt. So even with the changes in his life, I really think that he will amaze you in many ways in the next year. Better yet, he will amaze himself.

 

Get through this year. Clarity will come.

[dhudson]

Just wanted to say how sorry I am and that I will be praying for you and your son. Personally, I think the conversion van and the road trip sound like a great plan. Maybe not for 6 months but what about a month? Go visit American History sites, listen to books on CD and call it history.

 

 

[lauracolumbus]

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned online classes, but I know that my dd13 really enjoys them and takes away a bit of that feeling of working independently. She's in Lukeion's Latin II class and just finished their Roman Mysteries class, which she really enjoyed. She's now begging me to let her do Greek next year w/Lukeion. We'll see. For your ds, I think it would help break up his day to be in an online class. There is the free online homeschool co-op that you could use as well.

 

It will probably help if you can call/text him throughout the day to let him know you're thinking about him.

 

Like everything else, it will get easier as you move on.

Laura

[OnTheBrink]

((((HUG))))

 

I know where you're at. I'm working full-time and trying to get school done. It's hard; I won't lie. It's really hard to go from a SAHM-CM/WTM schooler to a WOHM-get-er-done schooler, but it has to happen this way for now. But, it'll be ok. You'll get to a better place for yourself and your ds and while it won't be ideal and you may struggle with "I didn't sign up for THIS!" thoughts, it'll be ok. Hang in there.

[Heatherwith4]

Paula,

I just saw this thread and wanted to give you :grouphug: and let you know I'm praying for you.