Change is good right?

Trying to decide what curriculum to use next year is like trying to design a house for your children when they get married....in 10 years or so.   There are so many factors that it just becomes overwhelming.  

I have the bad habit of wanting to try new stuff every year. I also keeping a lot of old stuff which just takes up space somewhere in my overly small house.  I am stuck with the feeling that I can't sell it because I might use it...some day...maybe.  It doesn't help that each one of my children learns in a different style and therefore I can't use the same thing for each of them for every subject....even if their styles were they same I don't think I would anyways, as I would get bored.   Change is good right?

So it's April again, and I have this nagging feel that if I don't plan out next years stuff now, I will never get it done.  Of course, where my kids are now, is not where they'll be in 6 months, as they are most definitely not where they were 6 months ago.  So how do you plan for that?  Some things are easy...or at least they seem easy until I think about them.  Math for example.  Jess and V will continue with what they have been using for the last 3 years.  Mason has to switch, as after 4 years of the same type of math, he is needing a change, both for interest sake and for abilities sake.  Sam, she'll remain on Abeka.  She loves it....but then again...No Stop...She's staying with Abeka.  It's already ordered so there's no changing your mind on that one.  

I get thinking about switching things up a bit.  Add interest for the older two's sake...But is it me that wants the change or them?  I guess I should take into account what they'd like to do, since they are the ones that will be doing it.   But they, like me, don't know about the other stuff out there because they've never used it.  So we look at different stuff and are left with the same nagging question.  Is it better, worse or just different?

So the ultimate question is, do I stick with what we've being using or switch it up and hope for a more successful interesting year?

Every have those moments in time

Where everything is going along fine....and BOOM, your mood completely drops out from under you and the world around you just sucks?  For no apparent reason you go from being content and living a normal life, to I just want to cry and I have no idea why?   Well tonight is that night for me.  I've had a fairly busy week between work, homeschooling, family, and ecclesial stuff; so maybe I'm just tired.  But I don't want to be tired. I want to be happy and content again.  With these moods, comes the anxiety.  Oh how I hate the anxiety.  I worry about everything.  From my kids, to my marriage, to my job, to how am I suppose to balance everything and still have time to breath.

Well its that time of year again.....

The homeschooling catalogs arrive....I get excited...because next year will be different than this year.  It will be more fun, exciting and entertaining for all.  The kids will look forward to school...they'll get up early everyday and eagerly be waiting to start.  They'll work hard, and complete everything neatly and understand new topics quickly.  They'll work together to solve problems they don't necessarily understand.  No more tears, just laughter and fun...

Ok now to wake up...NO I DON'T WANT TOO....

Every year the catalogs arrive.  Every year I pour over them.  I want to make the next year the best year.  Fix the problems we had last year, and the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that.  The problem is, every year, my kids don't change.  I may change the curriculum, but they still don't love school...Heck most days I don't love school.  Sure sometimes we get something new that just works and is an added bonus; but most of the time...not so much.  I have boxes and shelves full of curriculum that looked cool, that seemed so perfect....yet it still sits there.  Of course I can't get rid of it because the next child might use it...or I might finally have the time to focus on it....or I just feel guilty for wasting the money on it and selling it or worse throwing it out is a huge waste.   The problem with this logic is...it's a waste anyways because it isn't being used.  Whether I throw it out or stuff it on the shelf it isn't being useful.  The time to save would be before I purchased it.

I believe, or at least I have to believe, there is a perfect curriculum out there.  Something that will make the days go well, the kids like school and not be a heavy burden on the finances.   For anyone who homeschools, you've probably heard of Sonlight...its the catalog that gets me every year.  I pour over it...I drool over it.  I want it to work so badly.  But there are several problems that prevent me for purchasing it year after year....cost...time...topics.

But this year is different isn't it?  The kids are older..I will have more time...sure I'm working everyday for 2 hours, but they can do their seatwork then and I can sit and read with them for hours when I get home.  The house will be magically clean, lunch will be made, schoolwork will be done, kids will be in good moods and mom won't be tired.  But I really want this to work.  There are two cores I've wanted to do since the beginning and they are finally old enough....so do I take a chance and try it (blowing my entire budget in the process) or continue with the same old routine of the last 5 years....that is so depressing.