Kathie in VA Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Pardon me, I just need to vent a moment. I've had trouble getting thru a school year since I started. However most of the 'interruptions' were big and "understandable": 3 moves in 3 years, dh damages both feet and is put in wheel chair for a bit, a new baby, major home improvements that the kids helped to do ... plus the typical problems with focusing on the job, sibling issues, etc. So this year I just prayed for a smooth school year. One where we could do our work and finally have summer for a break and a chance to actually prep for next year. Well that's out now! In Sept my Dad died and I ended up with a wierd virus that hung on for about a month. My mom was up and down for months before and after and has now passed away just this Feb. It's taken about a month to work with my sister to deal with the estate .. which btw is on the other coast! While I was out there dealing with this, my dh was home with the 4 kids for ~2 wks after the funeral and not much of any school work got done (fine with me at the time since I just didn't want them to have any more tension ... mom being away was enough). During this time my dh's cousin passed away. Now that I'm home and we are trying to get back on track, we learned that the father of the flower girl from our wedding just passed away. ug. This one probably won't take us away, it just jars the mind. As I think about this, I have 3 relatives that may go soon also. Life. So I just spent some time finding the floor in our school room and checking our status. Looks like we are on week 8 for history (of a 36 week SL curr.), about 1/2 way or so thru math, and science never did get past the first week for my older two (grades 7 and 8). My 3rd grader may still try for CC Foundations memory master but I'm not sure he'll get it at this point. I started considering what to use for next year, but will probably need to just figure out how to finish this year. Guess we'll just take it day by day. ug. Well God doesn't give you more then you can handle, so I gather I can handle all of this. Perhaps we just need to show the kids how to handle multiple "disappointments". Thanks for the time to vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:: Wow, I am SO sorry that you're having to deal with this. I don't even know what else to say. :grouphug: Carrie:crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Oh, Kathie. It IS a blessing that you are hsing. Can you imagine not having the flexibility if your kids were in ps this whole time, with homework and everything else on top of the rest of your year? I'd regroup and focus only on the total basics to get up to speed for the new school year. Honestly, if you're at week 8 in history, it doesn't seem worth it to work to continue that before fall. (Look at it this way, you can have an 8 week jump on next year.) Can your oldest work on science by themselves, or can you "Charlotte Mason" it and leave them mostly to explore whatever they want on their own? I'd encourage movies or tv shows for science at this point. Can you do 1.5 math lessons per day, split up between morning and afternoon? (That'd work for one of my kids but not the other.) I'd probably stick with any weaknesses, whether it's writing, or math, or spelling/reading for the 3rd grader, and I'd let them work on their strengths more independently. Are you considering CC for next year? (I looked at it for my oldest, and it looks terrific, but we can't commit to the $$$ or the time at this point.) Do you have to consider testing to meet the hs law requirements? If you do, it's one more thing to plan for, but it also might ease your mind about where your kids are this year. It sounds like your kids have had a very full school year, but focusing more on character building instead of academics. It's a fair trade off, in my opinion, although certainly not one I'd want to live through every school year. I'm praying for God's peace to surround you, for your school year to smooth out according to His will, for you to clearly see His path for you with your upcoming planning for next year, and for this past year to draw your family closer together and closer to Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 I really don't know what it's like to homeschool without one now. Over the years we've had issues ranging all the way from dealing with house damage after a tropic storm, DH being home for months at a time with medical problems, and ongoing eldercare issues with my parents many states away. I also work, balancing three part-time jobs right now. In the end, you just have take the days you have and do it. My children periodically ask why we can't have a normal schedule like X and Y, but we can't. I always have to do some school over the summer too. As they've gotten older, I've trained them more and more to work off an assignment book, and that's gotten things done when I've been sick myself like last Friday or when I have to be on the phone most of the day like two weeks ago when the doctor wanted my dad to go to the nursing home and he (advanced Parkinson's) and my mom (small vessel disease with mid-stage dementia) were trying to check him out of the hospital and go home "against medical orders." For me at least, it never ends, so we just plow through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Pardon me, I just need to vent a moment. I've had trouble getting thru a school year since I started. However most of the 'interruptions' were big and "understandable": 3 moves in 3 years, dh damages both feet and is put in wheel chair for a bit, a new baby, major home improvements that the kids helped to do ... plus the typical problems with focusing on the job, sibling issues, etc. So this year I just prayed for a smooth school year. One where we could do our work and finally have summer for a break and a chance to actually prep for next year. Well that's out now! In Sept my Dad died and I ended up with a wierd virus that hung on for about a month. My mom was up and down for months before and after and has now passed away just this Feb. It's taken about a month to work with my sister to deal with the estate .. which btw is on the other coast! While I was out there dealing with this, my dh was home with the 4 kids for ~2 wks after the funeral and not much of any school work got done (fine with me at the time since I just didn't want them to have any more tension ... mom being away was enough). During this time my dh's cousin passed away. Now that I'm home and we are trying to get back on track, we learned that the father of the flower girl from our wedding just passed away. ug. This one probably won't take us away, it just jars the mind. As I think about this, I have 3 relatives that may go soon also. Life. So I just spent some time finding the floor in our school room and checking our status. Looks like we are on week 8 for history (of a 36 week SL curr.), about 1/2 way or so thru math, and science never did get past the first week for my older two (grades 7 and 8). My 3rd grader may still try for CC Foundations memory master but I'm not sure he'll get it at this point. I started considering what to use for next year, but will probably need to just figure out how to finish this year. Guess we'll just take it day by day. ug. Well God doesn't give you more then you can handle, so I gather I can handle all of this. Perhaps we just need to show the kids how to handle multiple "disappointments". Thanks for the time to vent. don't get discouraged! Last summer after the upheaval of our lives with a new baby, 9 months on the house market, moving into temp. housing, and moving again.... school fell to the wayside. When it all calmed down--rather the need for a structured schedule to bring some sanity prompted us to begin school--we started lessons and the full school schedule a month after the move. We about where you are in MFW Adventures History curriculum. However, the other day I took the pulse of our school stuff and discovered we're getting it done. We did opt. to continue and finish curriculum. This year has been much calmer for us and we're getting more done. It's gratifying to have to plan for the next step now that we're finishing up stuff. :grouphug: Take care of yourself and your family. You're going through a hard time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide eyes & laughter Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 and I am amazed that you have accomplished as much as you have. Since that's the case, it looks imminently possible that you will finish your curricula this year. Hang in there. I love the verse you chose for your siggy line.... "that we may have patience and comfort...and hope." :grouphug: and prayer for you & your dear ones, Cheryl Pardon me, I just need to vent a moment. I've had trouble getting thru a school year since I started. However most of the 'interruptions' were big and "understandable": 3 moves in 3 years, dh damages both feet and is put in wheel chair for a bit, a new baby, major home improvements that the kids helped to do ... plus the typical problems with focusing on the job, sibling issues, etc. So this year I just prayed for a smooth school year. One where we could do our work and finally have summer for a break and a chance to actually prep for next year. Well that's out now! In Sept my Dad died and I ended up with a wierd virus that hung on for about a month. My mom was up and down for months before and after and has now passed away just this Feb. It's taken about a month to work with my sister to deal with the estate .. which btw is on the other coast! While I was out there dealing with this, my dh was home with the 4 kids for ~2 wks after the funeral and not much of any school work got done (fine with me at the time since I just didn't want them to have any more tension ... mom being away was enough). During this time my dh's cousin passed away. Now that I'm home and we are trying to get back on track, we learned that the father of the flower girl from our wedding just passed away. ug. This one probably won't take us away, it just jars the mind. As I think about this, I have 3 relatives that may go soon also. Life. So I just spent some time finding the floor in our school room and checking our status. Looks like we are on week 8 for history (of a 36 week SL curr.), about 1/2 way or so thru math, and science never did get past the first week for my older two (grades 7 and 8). My 3rd grader may still try for CC Foundations memory master but I'm not sure he'll get it at this point. I started considering what to use for next year, but will probably need to just figure out how to finish this year. Guess we'll just take it day by day. ug. Well God doesn't give you more then you can handle, so I gather I can handle all of this. Perhaps we just need to show the kids how to handle multiple "disappointments". Thanks for the time to vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 :grouphug: :grouphug: You have been through a lot. I agree with the other posters: don't give up. You've done fine under the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evergreen State Sue Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 (edited) Oh, Kathie. It IS a blessing that you are hsing. Can you imagine not having the flexibility if your kids were in ps this whole time, with homework and everything else on top of the rest of your year? I hope I did that quote thing correctly because I wanted to 2nd this. My dh's parents died within 6 months of each other (October and April of that school year) followed by estate business that took two years and an addition put on our house. We never would have survived without the flexibility of homeschooling. We know what a tough time this is, but there is hope for a better, smoother schooling time for you. Prayers and blessings upon you. Edited March 17, 2009 by Evergreen State Sue typos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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