Not feeling the love

[redsquirrel]

I should have ordered my materials for next year by now. I should be getting boxes almost every day. I should have spend the early spring making momentous decisions about something or other, and created a backup plan in case I needed one.

 

I haven't done a single thing. Nada. Next year feels like same old, same old. Oh, I am sure I will get around to ordering stuff, I just don't feel any excitement about it. I feel a lot of dread about the cleaning up of this year, the ordering of science supplies for next year, the organization and the lesson planning. Blerg.

 

Now, it could be that things aren't new. My second child will be a third grader. That means it is my second time through third grade. We use almost all the same materials, so there isn't much to order for him. The big challenges of the elementary years, such as reading, handwriting and basic math, have been met. My eldest will be starting 8th grade and the Logic stage/middle school doesn't feel as daunting as it did when we were starting 5th grade. There is a very good chance he will attend public school in high school, so I am not feeling a lot of stress about prepping for high school.

 

I know what math and language arts we will be using for both kids. I've got history all set. Latin is ready to go and I have given up on Spanish. He can do that in high school if he likes. I've got our science picked out.

 

It just feels like So Much Work and like not much fun. I hesitate to really change anything because it works for my kids, and this is about my own feelings of ennui and not theirs. They are doing fine. The younger boy is appropriately challenged and the elder is about as excited about school as any other 13 year old. So, not much. But the hard parts have been figured out and they know what to expect. We have a pretty standard WTM routine in place. They don't argue and they seem to be doing well academically. I don't really feel the need to shake things up at this stage in the game. We don't have time for things like co-ops, and my local one seems mostly social in nature. My kids have lots of social. This is a me problem, not a kid problem.

 

I am not feeling the homeschooling love!

[Karmiel]

It sounds like you need a really big, fat, FUN summer vacation. I'm a newbie to all of this, so I really don't know what I'm talking about. Was I supposed to order stuff for fall already?

[redsquirrel]

Well, we finish at the end of June and start in September. I find it makes my life easier if we sort of follow the local school calendar. So, that leaves me 8 weeks of 'vacation' to get ready for the coming school year. I generally take the last two or three to prep from Sept-end of January. I don't like to do more than that in case we change stuff up, but that is enough to carry on with.

 

I personally like to have my materials ordered before the end of June because I have been burned before. I have had things put on back order or wrong item delivered or item was discontinued. I like to make sure that I have enough time to correct any mistakes etc. If it is here by the end of June I have July to look through any new material and get familiar with it, think about how I am going to teach it, etc. When I start planning in August, I know how to approach it in terms of planning. That is what makes things less stressful for me. It might not be an issue for you at all. I am sure there are people who don't get around to ordering new stuff until a few days before they need it. If it works for them, great!

[PentecostalMom]

I feel the opposite, lol! I have been ordering bits and pieces from other vendors, but the bulk of my order comes from Sonlight and I didn't order yet. My cart is all full and waiting for me, but we may be moving and I don't want to order curriculum, take it out of the box, only to have to put it back in the box to move it!

 

I am not even certain if we will be staying in the same town we are in because dh graduates from the Law Enforcement Academy next month and we have to see where he gets a job. That makes it even more difficult because I don't even know if I want to re-join our local hs group. So I sit, and wait.

[Hunter]

I should... I should ... I should...

 

 

There are no "shoulds". :grouphug:

 

I'd look at some drawing books, holiday books, and maybe a couple good read alouds. Some PE curricula? Music? Nature Study? Handcrafts?

 

The brain doesn't function well suspended on a weak and soulless body. I have to be careful to equally attend to the mind, body and soul of both my students and myself or we get into a bad place.

 

I like the Encyclopedia of Country Living for discussion of foods in season and how to cook them. My students really seem to profit by a little cooking and eating in-season. The in-season stuff is cheap and plentiful at the outdoor markets we have here in the city.

 

I sometimes assign a sport of the month. I do a read aloud, and try and plan a recreational outing or DVD event or something. I look for some type of independent drill or exercise that a student can do.

 

Knitting or weaving friendship bracelets during a read aloud is welcome here.

 

Practice of cursive handwriting, and doodling is soothing, while listening to some music.

 

I kind of hit a weird space this week. I put the books away a bit more, and did more home and spiritual stuff and it's helping. Also the sun came back out, after a rainy spell.

[Lilaclady]

Maybe plan some field trips you guys can do next yr. that always makes me excited. Or some art or music or sports.

[Mommy22alyns]

I've only ordered a few things so far. I think I need to recover from the school year before I can get excited about next year.

[m0mmaBuck]

I won't order anything until August or later. I just can't do it. We will spend summer hanging out and having fun.... I have plans to finish DS's Math curriculum and DD's LA, put each kid through one Life of Fred book (for math and reading), and do an overview of Am History but, honestly, that won't happen. We just need a break.

[2_girls_mommy]

Yes, this will be our 2nd year in logic stage. I think I have no problem progressing on with it. I worked out the kinks over the course of this past year. I have a routine for the younger using the same books I used before, but at her speed. I am starting preK w/a niece in the fall. That puts some excitement or worry in to my planning since she isn't mine and will be going to public in a year or two for sure. I have been researching her school's curriculum to make sure I feel confident getting her ready.

 

But the fun of research isn't really there. I do it because it has to be done. I buy in bits and pieces over the year during sales, just the next level up in most things.

 

I am pumped for summer right now though and for cleaning and decluttering and decorating the house, all of that good stuff that I can't get to during the year. We are busy in social stuff and co-op during the year and I can just get school and lessons planned and executed and us to places. Meals are a challenge sometimes :) So now I clean out stuff and enjoy looking at my clean places. Dh is putting up new blinds this minute for me after I got rid of the old ones I hated... That renews me, and it has nothing to do w/homeschooling.

[nwmama]

There are no "shoulds". :grouphug:

 

I'd look at some drawing books, holiday books, and maybe a couple good read alouds. Some PE curricula? Music? Nature Study? Handcrafts?

 

The brain doesn't function well suspended on a weak and soulless body. I have to be careful to equally attend to the mind, body and soul of both my students and myself or we get into a bad place.

 

 

 

This! I'd say you need a break! Take some time to forget about school and refresh yourself so you CAN get excited about it again. Then find a new curriculum to add in or one to change so there's something different to look forward to.