I have been thinking of a new school schedule to start after Christmas. We are running into a few problems that are causing school to take longer than usual.
1. My lack of being able to get up in the morning and get started before 9:15 or even 9:30.
2. Too many breaks.
3. Too many interruptions.
4. Kids don't have time to do homework at night.
5. I am not getting all the subjects covered that I want to cover.
6. We are spending too much time on subjects.
My proposal is that I am going to make it more like a school day. We will do certain subjects from one time to another and if we don't get done, we will have to move on anyway.
If I limit my time on certain subjects, then I can add subjects in that I want to cover, but haven't been able to get to this semester very well (art, health, German, music).
I am going to work with Megan in the morning instead of the afternoon, then she has the afternoon to do her homework while I work with Courtney.
I am just going to be more strict about the breaks. :) Maybe not allow the kids to leave the kitchen while we switch books between subjects and when the new books are on the table, they need to be back in their chairs and ready to go.
Speaking of ready to go, no getting water, no getting ice, and no bathroom breaks in the middle of class, no running upstairs to get something. Drives me nuts!!
I think I may need to do something to entertain Christian more. When I am working with both kids, he interrupts quite often because he has nobody to play with! maybe Thomas the Train would help. :)
Megan and I both love her read-aloud, but this takes a huge amount of time. I think that once school is done and Megan has her homework done, we can read her book. I want this to be an incentive. Leave this for the end of the day instead of in the middle.
Oh yes, really try to get out of bed earlier and get the kids up earlier! (But isn't that the joy of homeschooling- you can start whenever you want...)
I am going to put an excel spreadsheet together later with the new schedule. I really hope it works.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Christmas shopping
I have changed my ways around here.
I am no longer going to the stores to buy Christmas presents- I have rediscoverd amazon.com!!!
Why I loved this so much:
1. I did not have to go to the store with three kids in tow and face the crowds.
2. I could buy things and not have three children with me.
3. I could put things in my "cart" and then think about them awhile and either keep them or buy them later.
4. There was much more variety of gifts online. I found things I didn't even know some things existed! I found gifts that I would've never found in a store!
6. Shipping was free!!!
7. Things have already started coming in the mail and the girls aren't even asking what is in the packages.
8. If I didn't find something on amazon, I went to walmart, if I didn't find it there, I went to another store. I actually did this for a gift for Courtney this year, I ended up getting it from Kmart.
9. I can price compare and know where I am getting it the cheapest.
10. I can shop after everybody goes to bed and not have to take time away from the family or school to go to the stores!
Any other year, I would get a list of what I needed and where I was going to buy it. I would head out about December 23rd (yes, seriously) and shop as fast as I could and get everything bought within a couple of hours. I am actually going to get shopping done early this year.
Maybe I will have the presents wrapped and under the tree before Christmas Eve this year...
I am no longer going to the stores to buy Christmas presents- I have rediscoverd amazon.com!!!
Why I loved this so much:
1. I did not have to go to the store with three kids in tow and face the crowds.
2. I could buy things and not have three children with me.
3. I could put things in my "cart" and then think about them awhile and either keep them or buy them later.
4. There was much more variety of gifts online. I found things I didn't even know some things existed! I found gifts that I would've never found in a store!
6. Shipping was free!!!
7. Things have already started coming in the mail and the girls aren't even asking what is in the packages.
8. If I didn't find something on amazon, I went to walmart, if I didn't find it there, I went to another store. I actually did this for a gift for Courtney this year, I ended up getting it from Kmart.
9. I can price compare and know where I am getting it the cheapest.
10. I can shop after everybody goes to bed and not have to take time away from the family or school to go to the stores!
Any other year, I would get a list of what I needed and where I was going to buy it. I would head out about December 23rd (yes, seriously) and shop as fast as I could and get everything bought within a couple of hours. I am actually going to get shopping done early this year.
Maybe I will have the presents wrapped and under the tree before Christmas Eve this year...
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
John Hancock
Thanks to our study of the American Revolution and reading Johnny Tremain, Megan and I have been learning a lot about the founders of America and this includes John Hancock.
This is funny because everyday when we do math, there is a place for Courtney to put her name and I always say, "Put your John Hancock on your paper," never really knowing what it meant, I just know that it means to put your signature on your paper.
Today Courtney thought she was funny and actually wrote "John Hancock" on her paper. Megan helped her spell it as they both laughed hysterically!
This is funny because everyday when we do math, there is a place for Courtney to put her name and I always say, "Put your John Hancock on your paper," never really knowing what it meant, I just know that it means to put your signature on your paper.
Today Courtney thought she was funny and actually wrote "John Hancock" on her paper. Megan helped her spell it as they both laughed hysterically!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Christian Quotes of the day
Christian kind of redeemed some of his bad behavior this morning by making me laugh tonight.
1. I was putting a turkey in the oven for supper and he said, "Mom, turkey died." I just had to laugh.
But we have to be careful around here when we say things like this, it brings tears to Courtney's eyes!
(Yes, I know Thanksgiving is over, but I got a turkey for pretty cheap and it was really easy to make at Thanksgiving, so I bought another one! I think this one I made today was better than the one we had at Thanksgiving.)
2. At supper, he refused to eat his supper. "Mom, turkey gross." Then Megan reminded him that the turkey died, so he continued "potatoes died too." Where does he get this stuff??
3. Tonight at bedtime, he didn't want me to read him books, he wanted Megan! So Megan sat down and read him three books, he was mad when it was time to go to bed. We told him that Megan will read to him again in the morning, but he still didn't want to go to bed. He already had another book in his hand. I love this bond they are building over books!
1. I was putting a turkey in the oven for supper and he said, "Mom, turkey died." I just had to laugh.
But we have to be careful around here when we say things like this, it brings tears to Courtney's eyes!
(Yes, I know Thanksgiving is over, but I got a turkey for pretty cheap and it was really easy to make at Thanksgiving, so I bought another one! I think this one I made today was better than the one we had at Thanksgiving.)
2. At supper, he refused to eat his supper. "Mom, turkey gross." Then Megan reminded him that the turkey died, so he continued "potatoes died too." Where does he get this stuff??
3. Tonight at bedtime, he didn't want me to read him books, he wanted Megan! So Megan sat down and read him three books, he was mad when it was time to go to bed. We told him that Megan will read to him again in the morning, but he still didn't want to go to bed. He already had another book in his hand. I love this bond they are building over books!
Oh Sunday...
I have been thinking about this blog all morning, so I thought I would write it out.
It is really entitled, "How to get to church on Time".
Here is the story. We decided to go to early service yesterday and church, but we didn't quite make it on time. Here are the lessons I learned.
1. Set your alarm clock. Waking up with 50 minutes until you have to leave does not work well. Especially when 3 children wake up at the same time.
2. Do laundry the day before.
A. Megan had no church clothes to wear, all of her dresses were in the washer. I tried to get them washed and dried the night before, but I failed. She does not like to wear anything but dresses to church, so that took about ten minutes to convince her to wear jeans, which were actually clean. Then we had to find a shirt to go with the jeans, then we could FINALLY get dressed.
She also needs to put her shoes where they go, we couldn't find her shoes when we were rushing out the door. Courtney is usually the one looking for her shoes at the last minute, not Megan.
B. Courtney was actually ready on time. She likes to wear jeans and she didn't have a problem wearing jeans to church. She found her shoes and got ready! Yay, Courtney!
C. Christian knows what his "church clothes" are and which clothes are not "church clothes." Of course, none of his church clothes were clean, so I had no option but to put some different pants and a shirt on him. This was trouble! I had to fight him to get dressed and he was crying and saying no the entire time. I felt terrible! He also had mud on his shoes from the zoo the day before, so those just went in the car.
3. No TV, video games, computer,or anything electronic should be on while we are trying to get out the door. I need all the help I can get, especially with only 50 minutes to get out the door.
In the end, we made it with five minutes to spare!
It is really entitled, "How to get to church on Time".
Here is the story. We decided to go to early service yesterday and church, but we didn't quite make it on time. Here are the lessons I learned.
1. Set your alarm clock. Waking up with 50 minutes until you have to leave does not work well. Especially when 3 children wake up at the same time.
2. Do laundry the day before.
A. Megan had no church clothes to wear, all of her dresses were in the washer. I tried to get them washed and dried the night before, but I failed. She does not like to wear anything but dresses to church, so that took about ten minutes to convince her to wear jeans, which were actually clean. Then we had to find a shirt to go with the jeans, then we could FINALLY get dressed.
She also needs to put her shoes where they go, we couldn't find her shoes when we were rushing out the door. Courtney is usually the one looking for her shoes at the last minute, not Megan.
B. Courtney was actually ready on time. She likes to wear jeans and she didn't have a problem wearing jeans to church. She found her shoes and got ready! Yay, Courtney!
C. Christian knows what his "church clothes" are and which clothes are not "church clothes." Of course, none of his church clothes were clean, so I had no option but to put some different pants and a shirt on him. This was trouble! I had to fight him to get dressed and he was crying and saying no the entire time. I felt terrible! He also had mud on his shoes from the zoo the day before, so those just went in the car.
3. No TV, video games, computer,or anything electronic should be on while we are trying to get out the door. I need all the help I can get, especially with only 50 minutes to get out the door.
In the end, we made it with five minutes to spare!
Oh Monday!
I don't usually have trouble having school and dealing with the kids that are not "in school" at the time, but today it has been a little bit of a challenge.
The kids have discovered legos and they are all over my living room floor, which is great, but when you have three kids together trying to play with something, it doesn't go well. Two kids goes well, but I can't do that around here.
And plus the fact that Christian is a boy and is Mr. Destructo- he throws the legos, tears instruction manuals, throws the lego box, breaks the girls' creations, etc. If I hear "Christian, stop that!" one more time, I am going to scream. He is also putting legos in his mouth, which has earned him three trips to time-out already this morning, which of course, interupts our learning and school takes only longer!
Ugh!
The kids have discovered legos and they are all over my living room floor, which is great, but when you have three kids together trying to play with something, it doesn't go well. Two kids goes well, but I can't do that around here.
And plus the fact that Christian is a boy and is Mr. Destructo- he throws the legos, tears instruction manuals, throws the lego box, breaks the girls' creations, etc. If I hear "Christian, stop that!" one more time, I am going to scream. He is also putting legos in his mouth, which has earned him three trips to time-out already this morning, which of course, interupts our learning and school takes only longer!
Ugh!
Christmas Ideas
I keep getting questions about what to get my family for Christmas, so here is a quick list.
Megan: anything to do with horses, ballet, American Girl Doll books, sewing kits, science kits, size 8-10 shirts, kids cooking books, legos, sewing kits
Courtney: anything to do with bugs or penguins, legos, art supplies, size 7 shirts, chapter books or easy reader books, sewing kits
Christian: anything to do with trains, trucks, or tractors, 3T shirts, 2T pants
Charla- I would really like some new cupcake pans! (hint, hint!), non-slip cutting boards, history books, historical fiction books, gift cards to bookstores or Kohl's
Matt- anything, he isn't picky at all, but he does need some new jeans. (34 X 32) , giftcards to Menards, Best Buy, XBox points
Megan: anything to do with horses, ballet, American Girl Doll books, sewing kits, science kits, size 8-10 shirts, kids cooking books, legos, sewing kits
Courtney: anything to do with bugs or penguins, legos, art supplies, size 7 shirts, chapter books or easy reader books, sewing kits
Christian: anything to do with trains, trucks, or tractors, 3T shirts, 2T pants
Charla- I would really like some new cupcake pans! (hint, hint!), non-slip cutting boards, history books, historical fiction books, gift cards to bookstores or Kohl's
Matt- anything, he isn't picky at all, but he does need some new jeans. (34 X 32) , giftcards to Menards, Best Buy, XBox points
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