Homeschooling Week 1

I'm beginning to think that I'm learning just as much as Sarah is in this new adventure. Each day we begin with a prayer and a some form of devotion. I've been helping Sarah learn Psalm 23. She almost has it down pat. We discuss how to apply that to our lives, what it means to walk through a valley or feast with our enemies. I really enjoy that time with her.

Right now we've had many successes. Sarah is picking up cursive again. As long as she holds her pencil correctly, her penmanship is excellent. She doesn't like math, but picks it up insanely fast. Her love of science compels her to get to know more about all subjects. In addition to that, she loves learning about artist. That in particular makes the artistic side of me smile!

On the other hand, I've determined that I set the mood for the day. If I'm tired and moody, Sarah is tired and moody. My tone, my body language and my seriousness all have an effect on how well our day goes. I've become better at encouraging Sarah. I'm getting better at keeping her focused during the highs and lows of learning. My mission is critical and my dedication has to be at a hundred percent all day.

I'm also learning to add more fun into the day. Last week we were very task oriented. I'm a pretty tough teacher. She felt strapped to the chair. Today we took a break and will pick it up tomorrow. That means that we'll have to double lessons on two subjects. We agreed that it was the best choice for today. Tomorrow we'll add in an art lesson. I'm aiming for two a week since she loves art.

Sarah is also getting a little sad about not having Celia home during the days. She's missing the kid time. I'm going to add in a trip to McDonald's once a week and library Wednesday's. We start a co-op group in September. That will allow both of us to meet other home schooling families.

Next month, my home schooling friend from Virginia will meet us here. We'll then go on a two day field trip to Georgia and Alabama. As we move forward in our adventure, I will post updates.