Seasons Change

"To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiates 3:1

Four years ago, we started a wonderful adventure that we hadn't anticipated: homeschooling. I knew at the time that it might not be the right thing for us for our kids' entire educational careers, but we knew it was the right thing for our family at the time. Over the past four years, I grew to love homeschooling and the lifestyle it allowed us. I loved the time together the most. Sure, we had plenty of spats, of teasing, of crying, of all the typical sibling conflicts and mommy meltdowns, but we also had lot of fun together, lots of spiritual experiences together, and lots of learning together. We learned to cooperate more and to deal with our differences in a way that we might not have done if we were all going our separate ways for most of the day.

This year, the direction we got from Heavenly Father was different. It made me feel sad, scared, nervous, excited (for them), guilty, hopeful, and a slew of other emotions. At first, we only had the guts to commit Henry and Ian to returning to school in a new charter school, but as the school year approached, we began to feel strongly that Kimball should participate as well. Much like our decision to homeschool four years ago, this decision was one that we spent lots of time praying and agonizing over, and in the end, proceeded with the confidence that it was the right choice for our family.

So, on the day after Labor Day (which is the perfect day to start school, by the way), our boys donned their new uniforms, grabbed their backpacks, lunch sacks, water bottles, and set off for school. I am sure that I was more nervous than they, and I am the only one who cried that morning. I managed to keep it to moist eyes until I kissed Ian good-bye in his first grade class and had to bolt out the door because Ugly Cry was coming on fast.

So far, we have been too busy to miss them much during the day. Bronwen did remind me the first day about 100 times to go get her brothers from school, but once her co-op preschool and ballet class started up, we found ourselves quite scheduled during the school day. I also jumped into the new charter school with both feet and took a big role on the fundraising committee as we did a huge kick-off fundraising dinner and auction event last weekend. People ask me what I am doing with the extra time I presumably have because I am not schooling my children all morning, but I haven't found any extra time!

The boys are all making new friends, rising to new heights, gaining confidence, and learning loads of interesting things every day. Kimball even moved up to 7th grade after three weeks in 6th! We are all adjusting to them having less free time and more homework and deadlines, but I remind myself that they are learning some discipline that wasn't necessary when I was their teacher. It is good for all of us.

I am so grateful for the homeschooling season of my life, and look forward to the ways that my family will be blessed by this new season. Will we ever return to homeschooling? Maybe. We're just taking it one year at a time. But for now, I know that my kids are just where they need to be, and that feels wonderful.

Things I'll Miss

 After months of studying, considering, and praying, Jared and I have decided to send Henry and Ian to a new charter school in our area next year. I don't know if this means the beginning of a new era for us or if it will just be what school looks like for one school year, but it means saying good-bye to some of the things that I cherish about home schooling the entire family together. I know that we want to do the right thing for them, and to help them gain the experiences that they will need in life, so we will keep an open mind through this school year and prayerfully consider what comes next, but deep down in my heart I am hopeful that the answer comes to return to homeschooling. Here are some of the things I will miss:

• Moving at our own pace in the mornings. Even though we stick to a routine, it only roughly matches the clock. I do not look forward to having everyone ready to go in the morning and out the door before 8:00 am, especially since we need to have family devotional, breakfast, chores, and piano practice done by then! I will need to pray for a zen attitude, as rushing children who do not want to be rushed is a quick way to push my stress levels into the next stratosphere!
• Studying world history together. This is one of our absolute favorite things to learn about together, and is a part of daily conversations in our home. Their new school is classics based and will include the study of world history, but I love doing it together.
• Having so much time as a family. We learn together, work together, go to the park and the library and the store together, watch TV together, read books together . . . you get the picture. This family will be going separate directions each day. This makes me really sad and is probably the biggest reason that I hope we go back to home schooling after a year or two in school. I will be very protective of our afternoons and evenings when they are going to school each day. Family time is vital.
• Having them do so much work around our home! This year they have really made a big difference in the day to day housework, and I know that if they are gone for a big chunk of the day, the morning chores will be rushed and rarely teaching moments. Hopefully, since this school is promising minimal homework, I'll be able to get plenty of work out of them in the afternoons!;)
• Being able to take a day once in a while to just cozy up by the fire and read, or spend the whole day doing science experiments, or to give in to spring fever and go on a nature walk and look at birds instead of sitting around the table looking at math facts.
• No homework! Do I need to say more? Beyond just not wanting to deal with homework and other teachers' deadlines, I love that our afternoons are free to participate in other activities, run and play with the neighborhood kids, or curl up with a book. 

I believe that lots of good will come from this experience. My girls will get more of my attention. I will be able to help Kimball focus on some fabulous things he has been wanting to do more of. Henry will have more opportunities to gain some independence and make some friends. Ian will get to be in an environment where he is not the middle child, where he can see his own strengths instead of always comparing himself to his older (and thus, more advanced) brothers. 

I hope that fellow home schoolers  will not feel defensive or judgmental about our decision. It has not been done lightly, nor without a certain amount of anguish. I know that it is possible to teach your children everything they need without ever sending them to school, but we really feel that this is the right thing, right now, for these two boys. We are not "giving up" on homeschooling. What will come the following year? Only time and inspiration will tell. But I promise that I will shed real tears on August 22nd when they start school and the rest of us return home without them for the day. And perhaps for a few days after that. I have really treasured these years with my children all around me, learning together.

(Photos all courtesy of Bronwen, who swiped my camera at the park.)

Brick Walls

Monday morning we packed up our school things and took them to my mom's house. She was out of town and we were going to give her kitten some people time while also doing math, history, and literature.

We headed over and I explained to my kids what our itinerary was going to be and what they should do when we got to Nana's. "Nana won't be there and we won't be running off to the playroom today. We are not going to wander off to the bookshelf and get lost in a book. We are definitely not going to immerse ourselves in Calvin and Hobbes for the morning. You can play with the kitty for a few minutes, but then we have work to do-- it's a school day! Kimball, you'll start with Math Lesson x; Henry, you'll work in your spelling book, and Ian and I will read together. Then we'll take a look in the Japanese box that Nana pulled out for us and read more about the shoguns. If we can get our work done, maybe we'll have time to go to the library before lunch!" I love giving them a view of the morning as I'd like to see it go, with a reward of some kind for using our time wisely.

Just then, we pulled up in front of the house, and Ian said very matter-of-factly, "Mom, I didn't listen to a word you just said."

He was baffled when I couldn't stop laughing.

More Showing Off

Ian wants everyone to know that he, too, learned a lil' monologue of Shakespeare's. His is from Othello and Iago is speaking. He is in his Halloween costume (a knight to King Henry V) at Nana's house. I am posting two versions because we disagree about which is better.

The kids had so much fun with this that we are working on some Thanksgiving poems now. Maybe this will motivate Kimball to finish learning his choice from Hamlet.

Henry as Henry V

Henry learned the St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V (Act IV Scene iii) to go with his Halloween costume. This one isn't flawless, but it is precious and the best we got recorded. Leave him a comment! He'd love to hear what you think.

Lost in Another World

Lately, if you can't find Henry, he's likely in the world of Roald Dahl. He discovered Charlie and the Chocolate Factory about two weeks ago and since has gobbled up five Roald Dahl books. This childhood bookworm couldn't be more proud.

My Happy List

During our morning gospel study, Kimball and Henry and I each made a list in our journals entitled: Things That Make Me Happy. We then read 2 Nephi 11:4-7 to see what was on Nephi's "happy list".

Henry said as we opened the scriptures, "Let's see if we can get some inspiration from Nephi. Maybe I need to add his list to my list." I thought it was adorable and was, of course, precisely the point of the whole exercise!

Anyhow, I thought I'd share my happy list with you. This is what makes me happy today, although I reserve the right to add to it at any time!

• children giggling
• chubby baby legs
• cuddling
• strawberries
• late night talks with Jared about our plans, hopes, dreams, future
• going to the temple
• having uninterrupted time to pray
• Mack Wilberg arrangements of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• visiting out-of-town family/cousins
• springtime
• having my mom, sister, and in-law parents live locally
• succeeding in keeping my temper with my kids
• "I love you" and "thank you"
• a good book and time to read it
• hearing my kids bear their testimony
• a weekend away with my husband
• the way my toes look after a pedicure
• when my kids are getting along and enjoying each other
• General Conference
• Jared's breakfasts (even better when I get to sleep in and wake up just in time to eat)
• my covenants
• The Plan of Salvation

What's on your happy list?

Learning to Learn

Monday was one of those homeschool days that I love: only a little seat work and a whole lot of learning. This is not what every day looks like-- we generally do a lot more seat work-- but I love days like this. I want to do more non-seat learning and less re-creating school around the kitchen table learning, although that has its place.
One of our main goals in homeschooling is to teach our kids to love learning and know how to learn independently, rather than just teaching them stuff. I thought I'd give you a glimpse, even if there were only a few pictures taken.

So, here is some learning that took place on Monday (and yes, it has taken me all week to write this short post. You see why I don't blog much these days?):

• Kimball and Henry practiced the piano
• All the boys did a chore and cleaned their rooms
• We had early morning devotional with the entire family (we read 1-2 verses each from the Book of Mormon and sing our Hymn of the Week, then have family prayer.)
• We had Book of Mormon study with just Kimball and Henry. This is one of my favorite times of the day. I frequently feel during our discussions that this is a big reason that homeschooling is right for us. We use Scripture Study for LDS Families and it has promoted wonderful gospel discussions and testimony building and bearing experiences. It gives me a chance to hear what my boys think about when they read the scriptures and what they feel. You need this book for your family, whether you homeschool or not!
• We had a history lesson about the Rus (the first Russians) and about the first Russian prince to unify the Rus: Ivan the Great, and his grandson, Ivan the Terrible. After we read and discussed what our history book had to say (Story of the World Volume 2: The Middle Ages), we pulled out Jared's matryoshka of the major Russian leaders through time and found the Ivans.
• Since it was a rainy morning and our library book on CD is overdue, we decided to pop some popcorn, listen to our book, and work on a jigsaw puzzle of Russian matryoshki. It turned out to be a pretty hard puzzle, and the boys finally decided to do some math facts worksheets while we listened and I worked on the puzzle with Bronwen's "help".
• Bronwen, Henry, and Ian all had gymnastics class, Bronwen's in the morning (Nana took her this week) and the boys' in the afternoon (Papa took them this week). Often I take them and we try to do some schoolwork in the form of memorization or free reading while we are there, but it is so nice when a helpful grandparent drives and I can continue learning with the others in a less distracting atmosphere.
• I have started doing an activity/learning time with Bronwen (and Ian when he's home) called "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus." We sit on the floor and sing a couple of songs about Jesus, then look at a picture from the Gospel Art Kit that depicts something from the Savior's life and we talk about it.
• While the other boys were at gymnastics, Kimball did some research online about snails and slugs. We have a real problem with them in our newly planted garden, and he decided to do a research experiment: to try out three different traps or deterrents and see which was the best. So he figured out which he would use and went to work making it happen in the garden. When the boys got home, they were enthusiastic about taking part in laying out slug traps of oatmeal and crushed egg shells.
• They watched an Eyewitness video on Volcanoes, which Kimball studied a couple of weeks ago.
  
• We went to the library and picked out books on their chosen independent research projects for the week (Henry's was martens and Kimball's was snails and slugs). We already have plenty of fiction for the big kids at the moment, but we picked up some picture books and some books about plants and soil for Ian to supplement the kindergarten science curriculum. (Just so you remember, Ian goes to public school for kinder this year.)
• Ian and Bronwen dug (in a spot that will someday be a flower and herb bed but is now just weeds), looking for roots.

One of these days, I will get to writing a post or two about the why we chose to homeschool and the reasons that we love it. People have been asking me for two years to write such a post . . .

If you are interested in a follow-up to Jared's birthday, check the comments section.

Friday

Prudy recommended that I document one of my days for you and as soon as I read her suggestion, I grabbed the camera and started snapping pictures.

This is my Friday-- a day in my week that is always jam-packed and always different from the last. Jared doesn't have office hours on Fridays, although he often has networking events, so I often spend parts of Fridays running errands and doing things that are harder to do with five kids in tow. Fridays are also more flexible school days than Monday-Thursday. But enough of the introduction-- come along with me!

7:19am. After another long night, up several times with a coughing, hacking baby and the sister she wakes up with her coughing, I somehow oversleep and wake up in a panic. This is not our norm. By this time I should be showered, dressed, have read my scriptures, and be half-way through our family devotional. Oops. I tell the kids that we're having a race to see who can get dressed faster-- them or me. This helps with the inevitable stalling and dawdling that seems to happen when I'm in a hurry. Jared is sleeping in. He usually goes to the temple early on Friday mornings but has a wedding to attend later this morning. He gets up within 10 minutes because we're not quiet when we're in race mode.

7:35am. Breakfast is "Jinglish" muffins, yogurt, and fruit. Who has time for something else at this point? Kimball brings his notebook to breakfast, as he can't tear himself away from the book he was in the middle of writing when I woke up. He'll be starting another by lunchtime, you can bet. The girls squint at me in the bright morning sunlight, but I don't get the hint and lower the blinds. I'm in rush mode. I do, however, check my email. Why do I even touch the computer when I know what a time suck it is?

8:16am. Time to get everyone in the car. We say a family prayer, then I remember that the baby needs a diaper change. And I can't find the wet wipes. At least I pulled myself away from the computer early enough to already have Ian's hair done. By the time we pull away from the house, I know we're going to make it by the skin of our teeth to kindergarten.

8:23am. We pick up Tyler, our carpool buddy. Luckily, he's in a superhero mood today and runs to the car.

8:27am. Ian enters his classroom, two minutes late but still within the 4 minute buffer period the teacher gives us before locking the door. Phew. We were late yesterday for the first time in ages and had to go get a tardy pass in the office. I did not want to face those office ladies again this morning. There's something about getting your kid to school late two days in a row that says, "I don't have it together." And even though I don't always have it together, as a mom of five kids, I feel extra pressure to appear to have everything together. Because I don't want people to think that I can't handle 5 kids or that having a big family is a mistake. It's crazy, wonderful, challenging and loud, but it is definitely not a mistake.

8:28am. Bronwen runs back to the car in a race with me (her idea.) Why, when we were hurrying to get to kindergarten on time, did she insist on me carrying her? Sigh.

When I buckle Bronwen in this time, I see that Ian has left some artwork for me on Margaret's car seat. Why do kids think that everything looks better after they've made it look junky?

8:35am. I arrive home and assess the kitchen. I have a little more than an hour to clean up the kitchen, make myself more presentable, and to roll out 6 dozen rolls for a wedding luncheon before I need to go back to the school to help at Ian's class party. Oh, and did I mention that I haven't nursed the baby since I was up with her at 4:00 am and she's very hungry now? I nurse the baby first.

Meanwhile, Jared and the boys have a science lesson on covalent and ionic bonds.

9:10am. I put Margaret down for a nap, a little earlier than usual, but she is obviously ready. Bronwen plays with her letter beads until she discovers that I am doing something she likes more, something that involves dough . . .

This child loves dough. I cannot let loaves of bread rise unattended or she'll take handfuls and leave the rest to collapse in a yeasty mess. She "helps" me roll out the rolls.

Henry works on his tornadoes report for later.

9:45am Mom shows up and takes over rolling out the last 2 dozen rolls. She is also going to watch the kids for me, since Jared has now gone to the temple. Have I mentioned recently how amazing it is to have my mom live a mile away? WAY better than 425 miles away.
10:01 am. I leave the house late, as I was supposed to be at the school at 10. Typical. And look how dusty my dash is! I've been meaning to have this car detailed for a year now. Although I suppose I could dust without a full detailing.

10:10am.Ian lights up when he sees that I have come to help with his class Easter party. I'm not in his kindergarten class nearly as much as I was with his brothers. Poor middle child. He'll probably need therapy.

The class decorates bags for their hunt, makes bunny hats, and ices egg-shaped sugar cookies. Fun is had by all. Then, they hunt.

I spend a few minutes scowling at this wall when no one is looking. You know how I detest punctuation and grammar blunders. I do feel some relief, however, that credentialed teachers aren't perfect-- since my home schooled kids have a less-than-perfect teacher (albeit one who punctuates properly).

11:45pm. I get home from kindergarten just as Meggie wakes up from her nap. Perfect.

Noon. The rolls are finished and none of them burned (thanks to my mom). The parents of the groom will be by for an adjustment from Jared and to pick up the rolls in a few minutes. My kids all eat a roll with joy and rejoicing. (See the boys playing Stratego in the background? I love that they are old enough to enjoy games like that together.)

I have mine with Nutella. Yum.



12:45pm. We gather in the living room for our home school presentations. Kimball and Henry have each worked independently this week to research a natural disaster. This is our first week of learning this way, and I am pleased with all they have learned on their own. Henry goes first. I start videoing halfway through because it doesn't occur to me sooner.



Kimball goes next.

1:15pm. What starts out as a naptime book for Bronwen quickly draws Ian,

then the rest of the boys,

then Margaret joins in, too.

I go into my room to feed Margaret and discover that my mom folded the laundry while I was at kindergarten. I love it when the laundry fairy strikes!

1:45 pm. Jared goes out to work in the garden. Kimball and Ian are playing with Legos. Bronwen is (theoretically) napping. Henry, Margaret, and I run to Borders for a birthday gift (Henry has a party to attend at 3:15), and to Target for various and sundry items. (I should have taken a picture of my purchases there, because now I can't remember why I needed to go to Target so badly.) Henry returns a book at the library and checks it out again while Meg and I wait in the car. I nearly fall asleep and wish I was at home, taking a nap. I am very ready to have all my kids sleeping all night again. Curse you, flu virus!

3:20pm. I come home from my errands to find Grammy & Papa here, playing Harry Potter Clue with Kimball. I feel so blessed that my kids have such involved grandparents, who would take the time to play such an involved game with him in the middle of a Friday. (He got to play later that night with Nana, too, so Kimball fared very well today!)

4:15pm. I neglect to grab my camera when I run out into the cul-de-sac because of the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth that I hear from my kitchen. Ian has neglected to put on his shoes and is outside playing with the neighbor kids. Doesn't his mother love him? The poor kid-- the entire time that I clean his wound and bandage him up, I lecture him on why we follow the rules of wearing shoes outside. I need to learn to show more sympathy when someone does something foolish. It's not like I never do foolish things.

4:30pm. Margaret needs to eat. Again. Peaches and pears and some frozen peas.

5:00pm. We go pick up Henry from his birthday party and pizza for the kids' dinner. I tell the kids they can watch an episode of The Penguins of Madagascar while I finish my contribution to OUR dinner.

5:20pm. Margaret helps me make the beans and rice that we're taking to dinner tonight. The thumb seems to be a recurring theme today!

I slave over the kids' dinner all afternoon. Do you love Little Caesar's $5 pizza as much as I do? I sit everyone down to eat dinner and then run back to my room to freshen up (run a brush through my hair and switch my flats for patent leather red heels. That's as dressed up as I have time and energy for at this point.)

5:45pm. I remember that I need to nurse the baby, too, so by the time I come out of my room it has been 12 minutes. The kids are no longer eating dinner at the bar, but have all disappeared outside. Nana is back to play and put them to bed.

6:10pm. We make an appearance at a wedding reception. Here are the bride and groom, Adam and Caitlin. Happy. Radiant. With flawless baby-face skin. It makes me feel old just to look at them. It feels like last year that we were the couple shaking hands and grinning from ear to ear. But my skin doesn't look like that anymore.

6:20pm. We see our friend, Nate, who goes to BYU and is never in town! Isn't he a doll? Then we run off to Teresa's for dinner with the Primary Presidency and their hubbies.

7:45pm. After a delicious dinner of chicken fajitas by Teresa, we fill over 350 eggs with candy and stickers for the next morning's Easter Egg Hunt.

Some of us play Gang of Four

and "the bean game" which is actually called Bohnanza or something like that.

Others bond over Mario Cart on the Wii. Don't we get wild and crazy on a Friday night?

10:45pm. Time to go home. We know because there is only one cupcake left. They were so delicious (Christine's doing) that if we play another game, we will end up duking it out over that last cupcake. So we leave before things get ugly.

11:00pm. We arrive home and chat with my mom for a few minutes, then tidy up a bit and check on each of our kids. Jared and I have a strict go-to-bed-at-the-same-time policy and we always read the Book of Mormon together in Russian and pray together before turning out the lights.

11:32pm. Lights out. I am so tired. I can hardly believe that I made it till 11:32.

11:47pm. Margaret coughs so much that she wakes herself up and is screaming. I get up with her and tend to other coughing kids. I don't crawl back into bed until 1:30am. Here we go again!