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.

You can choose your eternity....

I am so blessed.  God has given me such a wonderful family, both immediate and ecclesially.  Phil and the kids gave me presents for my birthday (candy, chocolate, drawing pencils and paper, wonderfully made homemade cards, and 2 new cd's).  We had a wonderful brunch together with part of my ecclesial family and one of my wonderful sisters in the ecclesia took 3 of my 4 kids (would have been all but one was down with a fever) swimming in Lloyd and kept them overnight.  

Phil then took me out for a date on the town....this consisted of shopping at Dollarama, Canadian Tire, Walmart, and Peavy Mart (oh I could spend hours in here).  We proceeded to have Ice Capps from Timmy's and went for a country drive out to visit a bunch of brethren and sisters from the ecclesia.  We looked over some land we are buying and decided on placement of house, garden, trees and possibly horses :).   The sky was blue, and the sun was warm.

One of the Cd's Phil and the kids bought me had a song on it called, "You can choose your eternity."  It is a beautiful song, one of those songs that brings shivers to your arms, neck, back and scalp.  You can live your life as you please and die; or you can live your life for the True God and have eternity.  It's a gift He offers and all you have to do is accept, and live your life for Him.  My life is already so blessed...and the thought of it going on for an eternity, brings shivers that never cease, and tears to my eyes.  Thank you Lord for you many wonderful blessings.

Why Public Schooling Is Better Than Homeschooling

Why Public Schooling Is Better Than Homeschooling

Most parents were educated in the under funded public school system, and so are not smart enough to homeschool their own children.

Children who receive one-on-one homeschooling will learn more than others, giving them an unfair advantage in the marketplace. This is undemocratic.

How can children learn to defend themselves unless they have to fight off bullies on a daily basis?

Ridicule from other children is important to the socialization process.

Children in public schools can get more practice "Just Saying No" to drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.

Fluorescent lighting may have significant health benefits.

Publicly asking permission to go to the bathroom teaches young people their place in society.

The fashion industry depends upon the peer pressure that only public schools can generate.

Public schools foster cultural literacy, passing on important traditions like the singing of "Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg..."

Homeschooled children may not learn important office career skills, like how to sit still for six hours straight.

Today was one of those day where the Sun is so bright and so inviting that you must spend it outdoors.  Unfortunately our yard is a giant puddle at the moment, so the next best thing...sit on the couch, while the girls are reading and doing lessons in Science.  The time was suppose to be spent doing odd jobs around the house, such as baking and cleaning, but instead I just basked in the moment of time.  These moments are one of the highlights of homeschooling.  They may be short and far between some days, but when those days do come around, you remember why you are doing what you are doing.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone.  Some people cannot home school because of their position in their lives or simply because they don't want to; but next to motherhood, I have to say it is one of the most important things I can give to my family.   I could work full-time and bring in an income that would help us to get out of debt faster, or go on the next vacation, or have a large retirement fund and education fund built up...but then what about my children?   There are days I long to send them out the door to school, to have someone else be responsible for their education, but God gave them to me.  He is trusting me to grow them and shape them into something He can work with.  Whether they choose to follow what is being taught is not up to me, but it is up to me to lead them, to shepherd them.    My daughters, who at the present time are 11 and 14, love to go everywhere with me.  They aren't embarrassed to be seen with me, or to ask my opinion.  At 14, I couldn't wait to be away from my family, my mother and my siblings.  Family were embarrassing and friends were the cool thing to have.   I hope and pray everyday that my daughters will never be embarrassed to be near me.  That we can have a friendship based upon a good parent/daughter relationship that grows through the decades.
That one day I will be there to watch them grow and raise their own daughters/sons.  And ultimately, see them in God's glorious Kingdom.

I got old....well I will in a few hours.

As suspected my birthday came and is almost gone.  I have felt very well blessed to have the friends and family I do.  I've received many well wishes and love from everyone.

One thing I have noticed is birthdays don't mean what they use to.  When you we're a child, birthdays were exciting.  You'd count down to them for months, changing your age to match; such as 9 1/2, 9 2/3. 9 3/4, to almost 10.  Now....I'm still happy to be 33....until the clock changes to hour in which I was born....I still have 2 hours :)   I think my children get more excited than I do.  Of course the one question they keep asking is, What do you want?....  Why don't they believe my response of a day of peace and quiet?  They'd rather buy something or make something for me...I guess they don't see that it is the Action that I love, not the item itself.