School has (finally) started

Yes, we have started our homeschooling year. It kicked off with a bang! Ok, well, without whimpering, so I count that as success equivalent to a bang ;) So far....

Monday - Options. Mondays we don't do any formal schooling because they go to their quasi-school. The main success of the day was the lack of tears. Stella only missed me once and was quickly distracted by her class and didn't have time to break into her anxiety-ridden hysterics.

For the record, Sandis is taking GeoBlaze, Investigative Science, Digital Storytelling, Artistic Designs, Culinary Creations and Ancient Civilizations. Stella has Music and Movement, Artistic Designs, Wee Chefs, PE, The Great Pretenders and Spanish. Both like all their classes so far, though Sandis claimed some were boring because they aren't starting the real stuff until next week. But she is also quite happy that her friend, dubbed Wild-Child by his mother's blog, is in all but 2 of her classes.

Tuesday - Math. Yes, we only did math because the afternoon was Girl Scouts. For GS I have one of the family's children staying until her brother wakes up from nap (so 2 hrs after GS) AND Sandis goes to their house to play. Needless to say, GS+playing from noon-4pm means no schoolwork happening. BUT, Sandis did FIVE, yes FIVE math lessons yesterday. She asked Brian and I both if she could do another section. "No, honey, I'm afraid it's only 1 section a day." :P Stella did her one section without complaint. Yes, Stella's was the bigger surprise.

Wednesday - We're doing math, geography and writing, and another GS meeting later. So far, not much complaining. Stella's, "we have to read from page three to seven!" isn't holding much water. The kid can read like nobody's business, and complain even better than that. Have I told you about the time we were driving cross-country and she was complaining she wanted to stop. We said that the GPS said it was 400' to our destination and she screamed, "400 feet! We haven't even gone 400 feet all day!!!" Yeah, she's an awesome complainer.

I'm sure that you are thinking, "I thought you said you were unschoolers?" Well, we're unschooly. Different in that I make them do some things - but I find a curriculum that they like and make it work for them. Spelling, writing and math are the ones I focus on with things like history and science coming much more organically. I want lots and lots of time for those explorations and following of their own paths, so we don't spend a ton of time on formal schoolwork.

"But I see geography on your list for Wednesday?" Yes, that's because the girls have had lots of questions lately about where in the world things are. And then about maps and globes as I've shown them different things there. So we're doing some stuff about that. In other words, following their lead.

"But what about Options? How can you make them go to school if you are unschoolers?" Because they LOVE IT. Being unschooly is about being child-led and if they like and want to do it, then they can! Honestly, if I was truly child-led and they wanted to go to public school, to be true to my word, I would have to let them go. Not sure I could go that far, but I am surely able to send them to Options where they get to do fun stuff all day. And, I get a day off of responsibilities. I take the day for MYSELF. I read, watch bad tv, hang out with friends, knit...even run errands or clean, if that's what I want to do. But the time is mine to spend how I wish :)

Now, since I've begun writing this, the year has entered the whimpering stage. Stella is in full whine-mode. That girl could spend all day alternating between watching Phineas and Ferb and jumping on the trampoline, I swear. Sandis, I can strew and she eats it up. Stella needs a bit more direction, unfortunately. Doesn't she know I'm lazy? Sheesh!