Help!!! Needing practical and emotional support!

[tilbutton]

I am relatively new to homeschooling, although I was homeschooled myself. I'm finding myself on the brink of burnout on a near-constant basis. I'm desperate and hoping that if I can give an overview of what we currently do and then list some of my issues in a bullet-proof fashion maybe someone can throw some hope and encouragement my way!

 

My daughter is 6 years old, and we are doing first grade. If she were in public school, she would have missed the cutoff by a month and would be in kindergarten, but I felt she was ready last year to start kindergarten. We have done The Ordinary Parent's Guide for her phonics, but we stopped when it got tedious and she was reading more fluently. I figured if she has any trouble with a rule, we'll just go over that particular lesson. She reads for 30 minutes a day to herself, and I read aloud more challenging books each day (usually 4th or 5th grade or above). Her reading fluency has gotten much better. A friend told me to look up books using the accelerated reader bookfind site, and according to that, she's able to read books at a fifth grade level, but I think her comprehension isn't at that level. I think maybe third or fourth grade?? I had high hopes for using the book suggestions for reading and history that are listed in The Well-Trained Mind, but our library has so few of them and when I've tried to use inter-library loan, it can take anywhere from a week to over a month to get a book, so the timing never correlates to what we're covering in History at the time. We are doing Spelling Workout A and copywork for writing because she got very tired of the Zaner Bloser book, so we just copy passages of books and write letters to family. We also do First Language Lessons although this has gotten crazy redundant since she seems to pick up on grammar pretty easily, but we're still plugging away at it. We use RightStart Math Level A. We did Math U See last year, which she liked, but when her brother tested as color-blind, I decided to switch to a program that isn't dependent on colors for learning (Math U See blocks are color based), and I'm glad it worked out the way it did since she LOVES math and is getting really quick with the abacus and having fun. I worry that about the fact that it's Level A since that seems like kindergarten, but Math U See didn't cover nearly all that RightStart does, so I didn't think she could handle Level B. For History, we're reading Story of the World and for the life of me, we never seem to get to History. We've covered the first 8 or 9 chapters since we started school in August, and I never ever get to any of the "fun stuff" as far as activities and whatnot. We were doing Art, but I got totally overwhelmed with doing so many subjects. So Art and Music are not happening. I've thought about just doing Art during the summer when there's nothing else going on.

 

Here are my problems/questions:

 

Does this sound like a solid program even if I'm struggling to get to History and I've dropped other subjects? And we aren't reading amazing books?? How do I find better books if the library doesn't have the ones I'm looking for?

 

I have no contact with anyone else that homeschools that is doing a similar style of homeschooling. To be more specific, I have found several homeschool families in my area that I know through friends, but they all have what I would consider to be a disturbingly lackadaisical attitude about school. So much so that if I were to seek advice about something overwhelming me, I'm sure their advice would be to just drop the subject until my child is older or stop worrying because it will all work out in the end, etc. My other problem is that there is such a strong religious component to homeschooling, that I can't quite figure out where I fit into the mix. We're Catholic, so I am not interested in teaching Creationism, for example, but I most definitely believe in God (and science!). I get nervous about professions of faith by protestants but even more nervous about secularism. There is a Catholic homeschool group at our Parish, but everyone there seemed so strange I was nervous that I wouldn't fit in and they required volunteer hours which sounded overwhelming (maybe this is childish? premature after only one visit?). I am in the most need of social interaction and I don't know how to find purely social functions. It's like I need a dummies guide to homeschool support groups!

 

My daughter is very social and has zero friends because we have zero outside activities. We are planning on enrolling her in ballet classes in the fall, but for now, she only has her younger brothers to play with. This isn't so much about activities, though, as it is actual friendship. How do I help her make friends?? I have three friends that we currently get together with periodically, and they all have boys and she only has brothers. I feel like she is getting to an age where she would really enjoy playing with another girl but I don't know where to begin.

 

I am seriously lacking in confidence because I do not understand how to measure her progress or her level at any subject (how do I know if she's performing at a first grade level??). Reading is a great example of this. She picked up a book that I'd been reading to her and read a chapter (which was maybe three or four pages). She read it within several minutes and only asked about a few big words that she had trouble sounding out, but when I asked if she had understood what it was about she said "not really." So I'm guessing that that is above her reading level? I'm really hoping someone can tell me in some concrete terms how to determine levels or goals. I feel so aimless when I don't know what we're working toward! How do I know if I'm succeeding??

 

I don't understand how to quickly and succinctly keep a record of her work (for my own information since I have more children to school after her). Do I need to be giving her tests or quizzes? When do grades start?? If those things don't matter, why? Is there some underlying understanding that someone can give me?

 

My daughter is 6, but I also have a son that just turned 3 a few weeks ago and a 4 month old baby boy. I'm kind of losing my mind trying to keep her focused and me focused with the constant stream of interruptions. I've found a billion things on pinterest and the like that give ideas for how to keep a toddler busy but none of them seem to understand that my school-age child will immediately lose interest in school if I'm letting my preschooler do some awesome-ly fun activity that no one ever gets to do. Where are the somewhat ordinary activity ideas?? I'm so lost on what to do with my son while we do school, and he is clamoring for my attention constantly- either by climbing onto my lap or by getting into serious mischief.

 

My biggest problem of all, though, is that I feel SO ALONE. I'm crying out to the internet for help tonight.

 

I've never posted anything to this forum, so I apologize if I'm doing it all wrong! Any help that anyone can give me on any of these things would be greatly appreciated!!

[Rosie_0801]

First of all, welcome to the forum. :)

 

Second of all.  :chillpill:  <-- You see that? It is chocolate coated. Sit yourself down and have a bagful  :chillpill:  :chillpill:  :chillpill:  :drool5:

 

You are doing fine. :)

 

It is quite normal for a kid's decoding ability to be higher than their comprehension. This is one reason why it is good to mix up books, reading some that are higher than their level and some that are lower. Keep discussing the books, whether you are reading to her or she's reading to you and comprehension will progress. It's a good habit to talk about books anyway.

 

Don't worry about keeping history and literature reading correlated. It's too much of a hassle! I figure one will provide reinforcement for the other and it doesn't matter so much which comes first. Or they will forget ever having heard of any of it, and so it really doesn't matter which came first.

 

Keep going with RightStart if that's working for you. What matters is she's working at her pace, and it is not like she's a year behind because you haven't done maths for a year.

 

You are not failing your child if you don't do history with all the projects at age 6.

 

Even if you can't get hold of the WTM books, there are plenty of other good books to read. Your local librarian should be able to help or you can look up booklists. Or just peruse the shelves reading blurbs. You should definitely read 'The Secret Garden' though, because everyone should read 'The Secret Garden!'

 

Your library probably has a cd collection. Borrow everything and play it during the day when nothing that requires listening is happening. Play it in the car. Every bit counts with music. What art do you think should be happening?

 

For social stuff, could your dd join girl scouts? (Btw, not all secular people are rabid anti-theists!)

 

Basically, you are succeeding if you are both putting in your best work and progress is being made. No one can do better than their best. Mostly you know how they are doing because you are listening to what they say. Eavesdropping forms a large part of my homeschool. :p

 

I don't know how to occupy toddlers while doing school. All I could do was put a door between us. That was fine because my toddler was quite an introvert.

[Kiara.I]

I typed up a huge long response, and the server closure ate it.  :(  Boo.

 

I don't have the energy to re-type it all, but the short form:

Her academics sound fine.  Don't even worry.  She can work at her level and it doesn't matter if it matches exactly with "grade level."  So in concrete terms, how to assess levels?  Don't bother about it.

 

Social:  Look all over the place: classes, clubs, other interests.  Try the catholic group again, maybe?  And social doesn't need to equal "get advice."  You can hang out with lackadaisical and get your advice elsewhere instead.

Religion: I haven't run across a protestant Statement of Faith that a Catholic would have trouble assenting to, as far as I know.  There might be some, but...are many of the statements a huge problem?  And secular homeschoolers likely just won't discuss religion at all, but would that be a problem?

 

Records:  Unless your country/state/province requires them, keep them only if it suits you.  I don't.  If you want to, go for it.

 

For your 3: scissors and paper at the table with you?  That's what my 3 is into at the moment.

 

And is it possible that you believe school needs to take a lot fo time at the moment?  It doesn't, really.  Short is good at this age.

 

And you might like the book "Desperate" by Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae.

[Rosie_0801]

I think it is a great idea to keep records. You never know when you might need them. I find Blogger convenient.

[Carol in Cal.]

It sounds like you're doing great.  More later.  Hugs.

[Melissa in Australia]

you are doing fantastic.

 

My library never had any books from the reading lest either. I bought lots and lots.

 

When mine were younger, we combined art and history. I would get them to do the colouring activity while I read and would use different mediums. sometimes pastels, pencils, crayons, paint ( gold coloured paint was a real hit when we were doing Egypt).

 

younger kids had a tub full of things that was "their schoolwork" it had scraps of paper, scissors, glue, stencils, wooden puzzles, and drawing things, scrapbook etc.

 

I always remind myself - homeschooling is a marathon, not a race.

[waa510]

You are doing very well. I used to work for RightStart (long story but can't work there while in Japan!) so as such am *very* familiar with it. Your daughter is perfectly fine in Level A. Especially if we're talking the 2nd edition b/c it has a lot of depth to it. The 1st edition is amazing too, don't get me wrong. Anyway, everything academic that you're getting done is perfect for her age! Really. :)

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the library not having the specific books listed. Those are great books, but I just used ones generally on the topic when needed and all was well. You might check out other sources for other titles. Remember, your Dd will see this material again so you're just trying to teach her the fact that there even was an Ancient Egypt, KWIM? If you don't get the book in time, treat it as review. 

 

The social stuff was helped with gymnastics classes, homeschool playgroups, meet-ups, nature center classes, girl scouts, church class and playgrounds. Does your church have any family with girls?? I found reaching out to those in my social circle who didn't homeschool was needed for us to find friends for my kids. Homeschoolers local to us were also very religious or very unschooly and didn't take kindly to those who weren't either. 

 

Records are helpful in case you want to use the same stuff later with little siblings. I'm having a not-so-fun time now trying to recall the title/provider of a cursive book I used with older Dd that I want to use with little Dd.  :glare: I also had to do a tiny bit for my state. Over here, nothing,  so I don't do more than type something up for myself in a word document. I wouldn't go nuts with record-keeping at her age. 

 

For the little ones: I'd use a baby swing and then at toddler age...little Dd would pretty much be on my lap or climbing me while I taught older Dd. She eventually was old enough to quietly look at books but it took a long time. I also would give her a crayon and paper so she could "do school" like her sister ;) But I'd just accept that it's going to be difficult right now. I know that's hard, truly I do...but entertaining toddlers is rough. 

 

Testing using the CAT (one form of showing progress required before we moved) and seeing my older Dd ace it with flying colors helped me chill a ton. If it would help you get a measure of where she is, it's worth the $25 in my opinion. I'm even considering doing some testing on my girls out here even though I don't need to, just so I can breathe easy. 

 

But, you're doing great!! Sounds like your Dd is thriving and having fun! Keep up the good work!!  :hurray:

 

 

[MotherGoose]

I'm Catholic, and many of the SOF I've signed have been basically the apostles creed. Go back to the hs group at yr parish, and explain that you are overwhelmed too much to commit to volunteering just now (infant!) and they should be gracious about it! Say you'll set up field trips or park days periodically or fill in when someone else is not able. Perhaps you want to check things out before you join as you are feeling overwhelmed and don't want to make more commitments just now, but would like to get to know them. Academically, you are doing great,Mama! Excuse typos pls, iPad

[Faithr]

Hi!  I am Catholic too and I remember when I first joined a Catholic group, they scared the heck out of me!  LOL.  I felt that I wasn't nearly Catholic enough.  But I encourage you to keep on trying because 1) first impressions are often wrong, especially when you are consumed by anxiety!  and 2) you need the socialization!  When I first joined our group, we all had to volunteer, but those with infants could just help watch the kids in the nursery while other moms did the co-op with the older kids.  It was great because all the nursing moms sat around chatting!  It formed a great support group!  So maybe it will be like that for your group.

 

You might want to read the book Teaching from Rest or listen to a podcast on it.  This is because when you are operating from anxiety, which causes that burnout and all that fear and tension, you can really do a lot of damage to your family, without even realizing it.  I think many homeschoolers either learn this lesson or they give up on homeschooling because it gets so bad.  

 

So do yourself a favor and read this book!  It is like manna from heaven!  Teaching from Rest

[MommaOfalotta]

Hello sister!

 

Wow can I relate. This is our 4th year homeschooling and although I feel like I'm making progress with handling my stress.. I can still largely identify with you on everything.. from the library issues to the 3 year old boy :p We have used all the same curriculum but the math! I think a big part of the stress for me is how different our school year looks from what I had imagined it would be. I would love to have everything go by the plan with perfectly correlated read alouds and a child that will sit there attentively and listen to SOTW 2-3x a week and we would never fall "behind" my curriculum plan. NOW.. that being said.. We are only on lesson 12 of SOTW 3 :) And we skipped some! We are on lesson two... TWO.. of Latin. Confession time: I bought Artistic Pursuits when dd was in 1st grade and we have still not finished it. Same with our music.

 

She's on track with math, writing, reading, and spelling (well, ahead in most actually) but I, too, worry about her comprehension. SOTW can be so hard for us. I don't know if it's her not paying attention or if she struggles with comprehension. In fact, I just posted about it the other day. It sure makes history frustrating for us both sometimes.

 

Anywho, where was I going with this... Oh yeah.. the bright side! lol I am realizing that most of the stress/anxiety that I feel about our school year all comes back to me. I need to CHILL. Yes, it physically hurts my brain to not check off all the lessons in the year but guess what? She's doing fine. We have never had an issue with our yearly assessments. I sat down Saturday night and mapped out the rest of the year in an attempt to finish everything. Will I try? Yes. Will I stick with it? Hmm... Let's hope.

 

I'm rambling but my point is.. it's okay. :D She sounds like she's doing just fine!

 

We might not have read all the books I planned out on the beautiful 4th grade reading list I made back in August but my kid is begging me DAILY to read 2-3 HOURS of Harry Potter. And she would let me go on longer! That, to me, is so much better for US and our homeschool than me pushing a read aloud on her that she didn't enjoy just because it was on my pretty list :p (Not saying you would do this- just showing that sometimes ditching the plan can lead to something wonderful!)

 

My last thought before falling asleep last night was "Homeschooling is hard." lol. But I think I make it harder on myself than it has to be. Is having a plan/goal important? Sure. But learning to sometimes relax and see where your own dc take you is important too. As long as she is moving forward.. you're good!

 

Sorry for rambling... my "morning me time" is running out and I'm trying to hurry!

[MommaOfalotta]

 

You might want to read the book Teaching from Rest or listen to a podcast on it.  This is because when you are operating from anxiety, which causes that burnout and all that fear and tension, you can really do a lot of damage to your family, without even realizing it.  I think many homeschoolers either learn this lesson or they give up on homeschooling because it gets so bad.  

 

So do yourself a favor and read this book!  It is like manna from heaven!  Teaching from Rest

 

Thank you for this!

Edited February 1, 2016 by Mrs. Hound

[tilbutton]

Thank all of you so much!!! I realize now just how anxious I sound, and it really isn't as bad as I've made it sound. I've just felt like I really need someone to see what we're doing and tell me it is working. I have a very hard time with the fact that I don't have clear learning objectives for a year or a subject. It's like if the only goal for a subject is to finish a book, then I'm a slave to that book or if we get through it quickly, where do I go from there? It just seems like I find myself comparing to public school objectives just to give me something concrete, but they just don't correlate when our methodology is so different (and what would be the point of homeschooling if they did?). I just keep feeling like I'd be feeling more successful if I knew what I am working toward in each subject. If there's nothing I can do about that, than that's okay, I just felt like it was worth asking about :). I won't worry so much about record-keeping except to make sure I've written down our subjects and book choices for the year and anything else that I don't want to forget. The social stuff and group advice is helpful. And just for the record, I don't have any problem with hanging out with other homeschoolers who don't share our beliefs, I think the problem comes from me trying to get all my curriculum advice, emotional support needs, and my daughter's social needs met in the exact same group. (thanks Kiara for helping me see that!) I am easily overwhelmed with the idea of going places since I'm still new to having three little ones, so I've been feeling the pressure to make every outing count :). I can lighten up on that end. Thank you Faithr and Mother Goose for the Catholic input. I think I will go back to the Catholic group and see how it goes. Faithr, I actually just finishing reading that book! I realize it probably sounds like I missed the point, but I really did enjoy it, and in my daily life, I am dealing with the obstacles thrown at me much better. Our daily school experience is really enjoyable for everyone, I think, I just keep circling back to the same two problems of "what are we working toward/are we succeeding?" and "how do we make friends/get support?" I'm not so much anxious as I am tired of thinking about these same things obsessively without getting anywhere :). Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart! I really appreciate the encouragement and the "I can relate"s. I feel like I will be able to lighten up and move forward much better now :).

Edited February 1, 2016 by tilbutton

[Faithr]

Well, to come back with a really religious answer, put it all in God's hands and then sit back and relax!   I mean you still have to try different things (a play group, a homeschool group, etc) but whether it works out or not is not in your hands so much.  Just keep trying different things with an open mind, knowing that somehow in the end things will come out right, but the timing and exactly what, isn't really up to you.  That's takes the burden off, I think.

 

Also, with having definite goals each year; speaking for myself, I would say the first goal is to create a Christ-centered home and the second is to learn to respect my children's developmental arc (My kids all had/have LDs of various degrees, so this was an incredibly painful and hard lesson for me!).

 

Another thing that might really help with seeing the big picture, but it takes a little while, is to journal everything.  If you do this, when you look back you will see that tons and tons of learning is going on all the time.  Kids ask questions, conquer little tasks, little lightbulbs go off all the time, but these things can get lost in the mix or ignored if the focus is on only formal learning.  And if you get in the habit of journaling all those little golden moments, it eases the fixation on precise goals because it illustrates that learning and life is moving forward, even if not in the way a scope and sequence would have it.

 

 

[wintermom]

Those early years of homeschooling are definitely the toughest, ime. It's so hard to figure out:

 

- how much school work is enough but not too much,

- what books are both at the right level and quality,

- and finding a social support network and a few fun out of the house activities.

 

But in all honesty, I think these are things most homeschoolers struggle with to varying degrees throughout the entire journey.

 

I think for a start, you have to have a more humble and open attitude toward the other homeschoolers around you. You are isolating yourself and your family through your own first impressions. It may SEEM like they have a much more lax program than you, but you could be missing out on getting to know wonderful families based on misunderstanding. For example, had I met you back at the beginning of my homeschool journey I probably would have felt you were completely overboard with such a young child, trying to push like crazy and not enjoying your opportunity to have fun learning with your child. I saw homeschool families like you at the beginning of their journey, and I've seem them over the years burn themselves and their children out.  It's a marathon of education you are on, not a sprint to get ahead and stay ahead of all the other homeschoolers around you.

 

My philosophy with very young children is to start gently, leaving room to grow as the children mature. Now that my gang is in middle and high school we are right on track or ahead in our subjects, and we've made time for music, art and physical activities. 

Edited February 1, 2016 by wintermom

[73349]

It sounds like you're doing fine.

 

I agree with PPs that you should go back and give your parish's group a deeper try before deciding whether it's for you. Surely some other moms will be working on balance and meeting the needs of littles while pursuing a strong education for the school-age child(ren).

 

Now, as far as feeling confident about what you're doing--maybe you would like to try formulating (or maybe in some cases adopting someone else's) Essential Questions. EQs point to the underlying interest we have in a subject area that makes it worthwhile (as opposed to grade-level standards, which list the behaviors the student uses to demonstrate competence in that area). As you go through the year, you point back to those EQs in conversation with your student, expecting that each topic you're studying will help develop your reflections on the bigger question.

For first grade, I had EQs for our school such as What makes an author or work one of your favorites? and What kinds of problem-solving strategies work best for you?

If that kind of approach is interesting to you, you might like to read the book Essential Questions.

 

 

[Kiara.I]

Thank all of you so much!!! I realize now just how anxious I sound, and it really isn't as bad as I've made it sound. I've just felt like I really need someone to see what we're doing and tell me it is working. I have a very hard time with the fact that I don't have clear learning objectives for a year or a subject. It's like if the only goal for a subject is to finish a book, then I'm a slave to that book or if we get through it quickly, where do I go from there?

 

Well...to the next book!  I mean, when you finish Rightstart A, you do Rightstart B.  You could wait for the next school year to start if you wanted, but you could also just pick it straight up and keep moving.

 

 

It just seems like I find myself comparing to public school objectives just to give me something concrete, but they just don't correlate when our methodology is so different (and what would be the point of homeschooling if they did?). I just keep feeling like I'd be feeling more successful if I knew what I am working toward in each subject. If there's nothing I can do about that, than that's okay, I just felt like it was worth asking about  :).

 

Well, you can probably find your province/state standards for what they learn in each grade--and remember to check both kindergarten and grade 1, as your daughter is closer to kindergarten age.  As to what YOU are working towards...Well, what are your long-term goals for your daughter?  What do you want her to know by the time she leaves home?  Now what do you want her to know by six years from now?  So, from that, what do you want her to be working on THIS year?  For things like math, I don't find that to be all that hard--when you have a good curriculum, you can pretty much just follow it, and trust that they'll cover the math requirements.  For things like life skills or language arts it can be a bit harder to narrow down.

[aaplank]

As a Classical Catholic curriculum model, Mother of Divine Grace might be helpful to you. You can purchase the syllabus only for a particular grade for around $35. You can pick and choose what you like from the subject areas, yet still have the structure and measureable goals that might give you the assurance you need.

[tilbutton]

Faithr, I really appreciate your reply, and I think you're right. It's not in my hands, and I do have to be open-minded. I think journaling might be a great way to go about getting perspective while keeping a record. It might be a great excuse to go get a brand new journal too :).

 

Wintermom, thank you for weighing in. I think that what's happening is that I'm letting a few extreme examples taint the whole bunch. I know families that homeschool that are very laid back, and their children are older yet still struggle with basic reading and handwriting and are at a much lower level than they would be in public school. I'm not at all minimizing their own struggles or sitting on my high horse judging them- it just really scared me! It scared me into feeling like I can't stop and catch my breath or everything might fall apart and my children will be behind too. I'm sure you're right, though, that I should just keep an open mind and not rely on first impressions.

 

Kiara, thank you- I am going to start mulling over my personal objectives, and I think that will help me a lot to make a big difference in my ability to start relaxing.

 

I'm realizing that I am wanting some way of measuring her success just so I can feel more comfortable pumping the brakes and taking more time to have more fun. Like if we're not covering the basics thoroughly enough, than I can't take time out of the schedule to take a field trip or do crafts or something. Now that I can see that, I'm going to do my best to seek a more balanced approach from the beginning. I definitely don't want to kill her love of learning. She really does LOVE school.

 

As for the social stuff, I think my problem is that I am really introverted and every social encounter is so draining. So much so, that I easily give up simply because I feel like I can't handle anything that depletes my already so limited energy supply. This has more to do with just having had my third baby than school. I've always struggled with figuring out how to navigate the social scene since becoming a mother. I just don't know where I fit in, and since we've moved to this city, I've yet to meet anyone that seems more familiar. My husband and I have moved a lot, and it's hard not to feel like a fish out of water. I'm not sure if that makes any sense. But I'm certainly going to do my best to remedy the situation. Does anyone have any input on how long it might take to get a feel for a group before calling it quits? If I really give it a fair chance, what does that look like?

 

Thanks again, everyone, for letting me put myself out there in talking about all this. Everyone has really helped me gain perspective, and I'm going to do my best to make some changes for all of our sakes :).

[tilbutton]

aaplank- thank you so much!! That's super helpful- I've never heard of that curriculum before. I'll definitely enjoy looking through their book choices.

Edited February 1, 2016 by tilbutton

[Melissa in Australia]

. I've just felt like I really need someone to see what we're doing and tell me it is working. I have a very hard time with the fact that I don't have clear learning objectives for a year or a subject. It's like if the only goal for a subject is to finish a book, then I'm a slave to that book or if we get through it quickly, where do I go from there? It just seems like I find myself comparing to public school objectives just to give me something concrete, but they just don't correlate when our methodology is so different (and what would be the point of homeschooling if they did?). I just keep feeling like I'd be feeling more successful if I knew what I am working toward in each subject.

 

 

I felt like this for years. I didn't even complete high school. I homeschooled in panic for quite a few years, madly clutching TWTM and thinking if I keep following it closely then I might get through it. When my oldest got  into University  I could not believe it.

[mumto2]

Just wanted to send hugs and say that it sounds like you are doing a great job. This is coming from someone who is basically completed the home ed journey and my kids are fine. ;) Here are some things I remember doing that made things easier.....

 

I bought several plastic shoe boxes when I had my son running around while dd was doing school and put an assortment of toys he enjoyed in each box. During school time he was given a box and that was special. When school was done dd might play for a bit wit it but then we put it away. It would not come out again for several days. That actually worked amazingly well.

 

We also had a rug in the center of the living room that I kept clear of furniture and wold set up a few school type activities to be completed that day. Things like a box of duplos and a picture of the Tower of Babel. I used stacks of recipe type note cards and set up things where they put the cards in order, counting by 1's, 5's, etc. Pretty much whateve I could think of. Both dc's knew that if I was busy there was something to do there. I kept this stuff in a giant rubbermaid container where things disappeared for quite awhile ;)

 

The library....I lived near a great library when the dc's were little but it did not match SotW well at all. I let that fact frustrate me and we didn't get history done well at all because I needed to do everything just like the book said. It took me weeks to do a chapter right. Life sort of made fun of me because we ended up moving to another country and I was able to take very little curiculum at that time. I ended up using the local library and enjoying it greatly for many things. We had a great year schooling mainly from the library (math I brought). Look around and see what they have. Something like Magic School Bus books and dvds can expand your science greatly. Use what is there if it suits you. Read the SotW and enjoy it for what it is, a great bit of history each week. If you have the workbook do the activity if it works for you.

 

Groups...I have belonged to loads anything I could find. Signed statements where needed etc but can honestly say I have always felt the outsider. A funny thing has happened in the past few months a new group has popped up for teens which my ds likes (dd stays home few girls) and the few people I knew at different groups keep showing up. We are always happy to see each other...out of nowhere I have a sort of big group of home ed friends who are every type of home edder you could imagine. Who would have thought. Years have mellowed us all. Take a deep breath and pick one, I suspect the one at your church would be a good place to start.

 

I hope something here helps a bit. :grouphug: