Anyone else still finishing up the year and wishes they weren't?

[LearningGrace]

It's been a hard year.  While we have only a few days left to meet our state requirements, we are not done with several core subjects.  We were involved in a couple different co-ops over the last five years, the last three of which were very busy and intensive for me.  Summers have been almost nonexistent and have been complicated due to a new neighbor who would prefer to be here and talk w/us every time we step outside our door.  Sigh.  This year I was/am looking forward to doing a much better job planning our year out and being ready for the fall when the fall actually arrives.  However, I can't completely focus yet as I need to decide when to call this year 'done' as well as figure out how to not let the ever-present neighbor dictate my summer while simultaneously pointing her to Christ.  Honestly, we do better when we have a school-ish routine year around.  But it's not working out that way I had hoped.

 

Anyone else finding themselves in a similar position?  I do have much for which to be grateful, but I'm tired and discouraged.  Prayers would be appreciated.

 

Thank you ~

[mama25angels]

Praying for you.

[sbgrace]

:grouphug: I'm not finishing up, because we do school year round, but I'm with you on the overwhelmed/discouraged part for other reasons.

 

I hope the upcoming breaks helps you regroup and repair.

[My3girls]

We're still plugging along. We're testing this week which I am afraid the girls are going to take as a sign that we are done, but we're not. I'm planning to finish by the end of July so we can take off August before starting back up after Labor Day. The girls neighbor friend who attends ps has started schooling with us as a compromise. Lol She thinks it's fun, and it keeps them from complaining that they want be out playing with her. Win win!

[Wabi Sabi]

We had a rough year as well. We got quite a bit behind after having several major health scares in our family this year. 

I'm happy with what my youngest child completed and after all, it's kindergarten. She's just fine. 

My oldest, however, still has two chapters left in his math. We only got through half of his grammar, didn't write as much as I'd have liked, and ended up doing more informal science and history. That said, I don't mind spreading FLL3 over 3 semesters instead of 2, we'll start over with our formal writing curriculum in the fall, he's got less than a week worth of spelling left before he's done with his current book, and he did lots of reading about various science and history related topics on his own time this past year. We're going to keep plugging away at math for the rest of the summer and finish spelling since we're so close, but otherwise I'm okay with just starting fresh in the fall. Who cares if we end up doing CAP Fable in 4th grade instead of 3rd? It'll all work out in the end. 

[Elisabet1]

I called the year to an end a month ago over this. We still had some stuff to do. Fact is, at the public school, they do not do intense work every day for 180 days. In fact, my oldest was in public school and once testing was done, AP tests or state testing, depending on which it is, there is no more school work. Even in French class, they were playing video games.

 

I think you should call it a year. Start your summer vacation already! If you have to count attendance, just count it. Do whatever you want and count it.

[JoJosMom]

:grouphug:

 

I feel your pain.  Our delays were caused by poor planning on my part (allowed an extracurricular activity with a screwy schedule-FLL-in the middle of the school day for the entire fall semester) which put us waaaaay behind.  Focused on grammar, writing, and math, but now we're stuck mopping up the rest of the curricula.  At least here I don't have to meet any state requirements.  You must be :willy_nilly: .  I'm sorry. :sad:

[Chrysalis Academy]

we've started some of next year's stuff intentionally in a relaxed way, but we do have one hanger from last year: a report that I am now wishing I hadn't assigned, but I need to have her finish it - as a character lesson as much as a writing lesson.  I'm hoping to finally  put it to bed tomorrow.  We are both so, so done with it.

[Tress]

We are following the Dutch public school schedule, so we still have 4 weeks to go.

 

We have done everything I planned and then some. So with almost everyone on this board on break, I'm starting to wonder what the heck I'm still doing :lol:. I'm such a box checker....I can't start our summer holiday a month early, can I? :huh:

[shanvan]

We are finishing up a lot of things and will be for the rest of the summer, though I do intend to make it somewhat more relaxed than our regular school year.  We have no one to answer to, though.  Things did not work out the way I hoped either, so I get what you are saying.  Two things we did keep up on and finish were writing/literature and Math.

 

Our hard year was due to Dh losing his job at the end of last summer, spending much of the school year looking for a new job, part of it working for a large corporation in the big city (where you are just a number, not a person) on a contracted job, being back on unemployment again, almost running out of unemployment, finding a new job by the grace of God, and now dealing with the stress of having to catch the new company up since they went for quite some time with no one in Dh's position.  Very unstable year.  Anyway, yes, I am frustrated with having to continue through the summer, but it is what it is.  You are definitely not alone.  Prayers for you.  :grouphug: 

[WinsomeCreek]

Count me in. :( History suffered around here. We have at least a couple of weeks worth of history to finish. I'm at that point where handing over a stack of books and calling it done is sounding very, very good.

[Penguin]

We are following the Dutch public school schedule, so we still have 4 weeks to go.

 

We have done everything I planned and then some. So with almost everyone on this board on break, I'm starting to wonder what the heck I'm still doing :lol:. I'm such a box checker....I can't start our summer holiday a month early, can I? :huh:

 

Tress, I am curious about the Dutch summer holiday schedule. This is Denmark's last week and then a six week summer holiday starts. Gymnasium is done already; I am referring to K-9 classes. We also (mostly) follow the local schedule.

[swellmomma]

We will be leaving several things unfinished for the teens, they will pick up where they left off when they get back from cadet camp.  In the meantime I have about 7 days left to wrap up a few things with them.  Tomorrow ds15 does his practice final and final exam for one of his electives.  dd14 wrote it on friday.  Both need to finish this unit in social studies so they can start fresh with the new one upon return.  dd14 is trying to finish her other elective before camp, I don't know if ds15 will be able to, we will see.  I really need ds15 to finish the last 4 lessons in math so he can start the new book upon his return.  

It's easier with the youngers, while they have things to do still they are only gone for 2 weeks this summer and will just keep trucking along when they get back.  For them I don't worry much about start dates and end dates, but with the teens and the start of high school officially next year it is getting more important.  Especially since all the credits they actually finished up to the date the facilitator meets with us in november will be submitted to the gov't for their transcripts and it would be nice to actually have these courses on it at that time rather than waiting until May to submit them.  It is already going to be a full year next year without adding this year's work to it.

[Tress]

Tress, I am curious about the Dutch summer holiday schedule. This is Denmark's last week and then a six week summer holiday starts. Gymnasium is done already, I am referring to K-9 classes. We also (mostly) follow the local schedule.

 

I'm also referring to K-6 schools. Our summer holiday is 6 weeks too. The 7-12 grade schools have an 8 week holiday.

 

In the Netherlands the summer holidays are 'zoned', so it depends on where you live. There are three geographical zones, we are in the middle of the country which has *this year* the latest start of the summer holiday. So parts of the Netherlands are already on holiday.

 

 

[lanabug]

We're still plugging away.  I hope we'll be caught up and finished by the end of July, just to start again in early August.

 

We started the year 2 weeks behind schedule as we were invited to go on vacation for a week with extended family.  Then we went through several months of house showings and a mid-year move.  

 

So far we've managed to finish spelling, phonics, and geography, and we'll finish up FLL today and WWE next week.  We'll be lucky to finish math by the end of July, but I may end up skipping or combining some lessons.  History and science pretty much didn't get done at all this year, so I'm hoping to make July a history/science intensive, since we'll be finished with everything else by then.  

 

Lana

[LearningGrace]

Thank you for responding, everyone.  Sometimes it's just nice to reach out and know you're not alone.  Several of you are dealing with situations far more difficult than mine.  Thank you for taking the time to share and encourage.  I will pray over each of your posts.  Thanks, ladies ~

[JadeOrchidSong]

We are going to test this week!

[ForeverFamily]

I hear you.  We had a rough year as well.  I did not plan very well for this year so it didn't run very smoothly.  We have also been in the process of building a house for a little over a year now, so that has chewed up a bunch of my time.  History happened for the first half of the year but not the second half.  Science didn't really happen.  I have decided to let those go instead of trying to play catch up all summer.  We may try and do nature journals over the summer, but my kids don't see that as school.  However, we do plan on continuing with reading and math through the summer as well as some writing.  I assigned a reward to each book(s) the kids finish to give them a bit of self motivation through the summer.  For example I told my Dd that if she finishes her SM 2b book by the end of June she will get 10 gold coins. Part of a system we use where they can exchange their coins for something else.  For example 20 gold coins gets them a new app on their kindles.  It usually takes them weeks to earn that many, so 10 in one shot is a big deal.  I also told her that if she finishes her reading list then she can earn 30 gold coins. Kind of silly  but it helps them take some ownership of their work through the summer.  I don't usually do this so it is a fun summer thing for them.  Unfortunately, my summer plans are off to a rocky start as we have been working through a nasty cold for the past 3 weeks.  Oh well, we still have two more months.  Hang in there.  Maybe you could continue some of the work you need to get done but some how change it up a little. The fact that we are doing less and in a different way than we normally do things through the year has been a nice "break" for me and the kids.

[SevenDaisies]

Took a week off but back to work tomorrow. We'd be okay not finishing up these last few items, but at this point it's mostly a lesson for my 9 year old on why it's important to get your work done the day it is scheduled so you don't end up working in the summer while your friends are playing.

[blondchen]

We're still finishing up after a hard year (lots of uncertainty, some health issues, a major move and some severe financial stress through the winter).

 

We didn't even come close to getting through everything I had planned and I pretty much stopped everything formal except math about a month ago, but we've done enough at this point, and we're stopping math this Friday and calling it a year. We follow a flexible year-round schedule and have lax state requirements, so I don't have that pressure, thankfully. I am disappointed that we didn't do more with art, music and science, and we stopped 12 chapters short in SOTW1 (which will get tacked on to the beginning of next year), but I'm content with where we are in the 3 R's. DD7 aced the WWE1 year-end assessment even though we didn't do the workbook past mid-year, and my kids read and write and listen to classical music and draw every day just for fun, and there is lots of learning going on in various ways no matter what. We just need to be done with "school" for a while.

 

We're taking off the entire month of July, and I am excited to re-group and get set up for next year, which I hope will run more smoothly. I'm still very new at this, and I learned the hard way that I need to plan more ahead of time. I had a general plan for the year, but I left too much planning and resource-gathering to be done on a weekly basis and it became too burdensome and overwhelming for me with everything else that was going on in our life.

[julikins]

I was doing really good first semester; we were even ahead because I knew that we'd be traveling alot during 2nd semester.  What I didn't count on was an unexpected pregnancy and the kids being car sick while trying to do school.  So now, I've just decided to do school when we're staying put, and to take off when we're on the go.  We had some summer family activities planned, that I'm not willing to cancel since we're only in the States with family every few years.  So, we'll finish when we finish.  That being said, I am requiring extra hard work and diligence on the days that we do school.  No fooling around, no quitting in the middle.  Let's work hard because you've been allowed to play hard and have alot of time off.   But I definitely look forward to some stability and a schedule for next semester.  Really praying for that--even though we will be moving back overseas and will be having a new baby and will have to take off for some of that...yikes.

[lovemy9kids]

Add me to the list.  Everything was going fine and then my husband was laid off.  It kind of through me, and I haven't been able to get back in any kind of groove.  I keep telling myself we need to start back up, but I have zero motivation.  Can someone please tell me where I can get some of that?  So frustrated with myself!  :glare:

[Hoot]

DS is still finishing up Geometry and I am SO over it. I'm ready to be done. I think for the first year ever I just want a lazy summer with no school work. Not gonna happen apparently. There are other subjects that I've finally called finished even though we didn't make it to the end.

[Ruby Rose]

Sometimes you just have to call it done. We start our new year in 11 days for that very reason. We stopped at the end of May. For the 1st time ever I have the year mapped out on paper. I'm in school also so I needed to make it a good fit to correspond with my finals and breaks. Plus, we have such a hard time getting refocused after winter break. That is why I am front loading the year. We will have 20 weeks (100 days) in before calendar year end and 16 (80 days) left. I've included a 1 week spring and fall break and a month off at Christmas and a week off for Thanksgiving. We will finish May 1 so I can study/take finals and my 2 week semester break. Because at that point I'll be in clinicals and summer semester is so condensed time wise we probably won't resume until the first of August for my sanity. So they get an extra long 3 month summer break. In reality I'll keep their skills up with reading and math games.

 

Regarding you neighbor, just say, "walk with me." Meaning I'm on the go with no time to stop. If you want to chat, I'll listen, but you have to do it while I'm working my plan.

 

Ex: heading to the pool...

 

Neighbor: hey K. Great day. Sky is blue, the ....

K: it certainly is. I'd love to chat but we are off to the pool. (Optional) Want to tag along?

 

N: k, blah, blah, blah

K: I know, right? Just grabbing a box from the car so I can reorganize my closet. Come on in and we can talk while I work.

[shanvan]

Add me to the list.  Everything was going fine and then my husband was laid off.  It kind of through me, and I haven't been able to get back in any kind of groove.  I keep telling myself we need to start back up, but I have zero motivation.  Can someone please tell me where I can get some of that?  So frustrated with myself!  :glare:

That's what threw me this past year.  I helped Dh with his resume, cover letters, and interview questions, plus thank you letters for interviews b/c I am the better writer.  IT was exhausting.  So was budgeting and figuring out meals to stay on budget (it's still exhausting).  You are not alone.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.   :grouphug:

[bobbeym]

I'm so very glad I'm not alone.  DS didn't get serious about doing school work until March or so, and I feel like we've been trying to catch up ever since.  We have 10 lessons and 2 exams left in science, 1 book to read for history, and 3 movies and a poetry unit to do for english.  I scheduled him for 1/2 day of work with a goal is to be finished by Aug 1 so we get at least a couple weeks without school.  He says he wants to work longer so he finishes earlier, but he hasn't put that into practice yet.

[Jenny in Florida]

My son decided in October that he wanted to finish up and graduate this year, which is wonderful and exciting and all of that. However, it meant that, in addition to figuring out how to squeeze a couple of extra credits into the year, we had to kick into gear and do all of the college search and application stuff a year earlier than I had thought/planned.

 

He also significantly increased the time he was spending each week at the dance studio. So, the year kind of got away from us.

 

Once his dual enrollment classes were over at the end of May, he buckled down and powered through the two online high school courses. Now, all that is left are the two CLEP exams he's prepping for. (It was supposed to be only one, but then he couldn't get into the math class he wanted to take at the community college.) So, I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We sat down last week and mapped out a plan for getting the prep done. And yesterday, I paid his fees and registered him for the exams, We also found a local testing center that does walk-ins, meaning I can just deliver him there the very minute he feels ready.

 

We have his graduation/going away party scheduled for mid-August. And he's due to move into his dorm just a few days later. So, time is of the essence.

 

Sigh.

[robsiew]

Yes, we find ourselves on that ship this summer!  We had a hugely busy year and ended up taking a total of 2 months off during the school year.  We have been trying to catch up in as many subjects as we can.  We also had to take the last week and 1/2 off for a drama camp!  Seems like life always comes in the way of school!  ;-)

 

We are going to work hard until the end of July and then call it quits for the year.  We'll take August off, but I'd like to start right away in Sept.  We'll just finish up anything we have left.

 

I'd so love to be done... as would the kids, but that's just the way this past year went....

[Ausmumof3]

Yeah me and I'm in aus... So we're not even half way through

[MrsH]

We started the year off with a concussion (dd12) which resulted in a late start and months of reduced stamina, and therefore, reduced workload. She has finally finished the bulk of her work today, and now we're just tying up a few loose ends, such as filing her pile of papers, and making plans for next year. What a relief to finally be wrapping up!

[Heidi]

Still wrapping things up. Should be finished by the end of next week. I think we are going to start immediately with the new school year since these last few weeks have been lite. I'm nervous about beginning First Form Latin and I can hardly wait to begin English Language Lessons through Literature. Should be a great year!

[Mom-ninja.]

We're always playing catch up during the summer. Maybe this year will be the year that we don't. Right?

[asmall]

We school year round.  Sometimes, I wish we didn't.

AL

[angelmama1209]

Yes, yes, yes!!!

[LearningGrace]

Sometimes you just have to call it done. We start our new year in 11 days for that very reason. We stopped at the end of May. For the 1st time ever I have the year mapped out on paper. I'm in school also so I needed to make it a good fit to correspond with my finals and breaks. Plus, we have such a hard time getting refocused after winter break. That is why I am front loading the year. We will have 20 weeks (100 days) in before calendar year end and 16 (80 days) left. I've included a 1 week spring and fall break and a month off at Christmas and a week off for Thanksgiving. We will finish May 1 so I can study/take finals and my 2 week semester break. Because at that point I'll be in clinicals and summer semester is so condensed time wise we probably won't resume until the first of August for my sanity. So they get an extra long 3 month summer break. In reality I'll keep their skills up with reading and math games.

 

Regarding you neighbor, just say, "walk with me." Meaning I'm on the go with no time to stop. If you want to chat, I'll listen, but you have to do it while I'm working my plan.

 

Ex: heading to the pool...

 

Neighbor: hey K. Great day. Sky is blue, the ....

K: it certainly is. I'd love to chat but we are off to the pool. (Optional) Want to tag along?

 

N: k, blah, blah, blah

K: I know, right? Just grabbing a box from the car so I can reorganize my closet. Come on in and we can talk while I work.

 

Good Heavens!  Sounds like you are going to have an extremely busy year but have excellent plan.  I will pray that you are able to see your plan come to fruition. :)

 

Thanks for the suggestions, Ruby.  I will give it some thought though she isn't content just to talk.  She seems to want me/us to entertain her (entitlement attitude with our things - 'do you use this', 'can I borrow that?') and literally watches for me to come outside (grandma confirmed my suspicions).  I can't even hang clothes on the clothesline or take trash to the dumpster without a conversation.  There are definite family and medical issues coming to bear although she can control herself as I have seen improvement over last summer, PTL.  Very sad situation and one which I cannot unravel - especially when I am not asked.  A complicating factor is the very fact of 'going to the pool:'  it's in our backyard which is probably 12 feet from their property line.  She will tend to (and now others living and/or visiting) stand at their chain link fence and stare at us, make comments about wanting to swim, or just make it very difficult for us to enjoy our own pool - the children, not the adults, thankfully.  She does have a weekly play date here (which I monitor due to many reasons not the least of which she is 4.5 years older than my daughter) and I have been and continue to be available for emergencies, melt-downs, keys, etc.  If the weather is good and she has not forfeited the privilege, she may swim on their play day.  But honestly, we are beginning to price out a fence.  Not being able to have any privacy in my own backyard just feels like more than I can handle.  While I am fond of her and desire to help, unraveling this 'mess' isn't my responsibility.  My family is.  How to help them while establishing our own boundaries which define our responsibilities is the problem.  And I have GOT to get ready for this new school year!!

 

I didn't go into this much detail before because...well, I'm not sure why.  Perhaps at the time I didn't want to vent.  Perhaps tonight I do. :)  For those of you who are praying - thank you.  This will help you understand our situation and how to pray for us/me more intelligently.

 

Again, thank you very much to those who have taken the time to post as well as pray.  I'm continuing to pray my way through your comments ~

[katilac]

I would never survive without our privacy fence! If you're somewhat handy, it isn't that hard to do yourself - well, it's hard work, but it isn't complex. 

[LearningGrace]

Thanks, Katilac ~  We do plan on adding it to the list of things we've done ourselves.  "Necessity is the mother of invention," they say.  It's also the mother of a lot of work!  But it sure does save a ton of money.   :hurray: