1 month down

This week we will be completing one month of homeschooling. 

I have talked to other mothers who have children at our old school. 

Normal stresses I am missing out on:

- PTSA meeting with new principal

- Program I used to coordinate has no coordinator and they will likely drop the program

- School Fundraising Program (no nagging kids, emails, or letters begging for $200)"

- Picking up the kids up and rushing to extra curricular activities.

- Nightly homework struggles and short notice projects

- Worrying about Common Core in all its weirdness

Things I actually miss:

- Morning walks to the bus stop

- A quite(r) house

- Going places with only 1 child

Things I love about homeschooling:

- Completing the days (school) work by 9:30am

- Knowing what my children have learned and need to improve on

- Attending some extra curricular activities during the day

- Having extra help around the house

- Educational Outings 

I am still learning/improving upon:

- Our routines and schedule

- Adding more hands on activities to our week

- Organizing topics and materials (long term)

- Making sure the kids learn everything they should including the stuff I think is boring 

I really am struggling with activities to fill our down time (20-30 minutes here and there). I want activities that are educational, not boring, require no real prep for me, and not in front of a screen. Yes they already read 20-120 minutes a day. Thinking about getting a mini trampoline and slowly working towards a game/exercise room in the basement (since it rains a lot)...but it will take 5 years to complete this plan. :/

 

15 and lost

A beautiful girl very close to me is miserable. She is 15 at life cross roads. She lives in a city where there is more plastic than live cells. Her family is surviving on financial fumes paying $1800 for a 2/2 under 1000 sq ft. and she has been saving money her whole life to buy a car. 

Her father left when he was told he would have to support a family that he could not beat. Her mom doesn't always make the hard choices, but waits for them to be made for her. Her older brother has no qualm taking advantage of the poor to build up himself. Her younger smiles and keeps giving. She tries so hard to fit into a city she doesn't belong.

She spends the night crying herself to sleeping wishing for a life that doesn't exist. Dreaming of a future where she is loved, treasured, and cared for by a man who treats her well. Dreaming of 4 wheels and a way to escape. Dreaming of a job she loves that pays the rent. 

She cries all night wishing her life would change. Wishing the grades came easy and the love rolled in. 

2 more days and I'll try my best to heal the pain and tell her with time things will change.