How to Just Survive the First Week | Homeschool Diaries

Today was the last day of the first week of school and TGIF is in full swing! I know, you're thinking didn't we just get out of school? (Or for some of my friends, doesn't school get out in a week or two?)



Last Day of School...ever?

Yes, yes we did.
However with my kids eagerly chomping at the bit to get started on our fledgling adventures in  homeschooling, we decided to dive right in on last Monday, June 2. It seemed like a really good idea, it really, really did. I somehow totally blocked out the fact that Ben would be on a business trip for the week and Chris needed some midweek blood work (so less than an ideal first week situation), but somehow, we muddled through!
I enjoy very ridged structure; work first then play, finish all my chores then take a break, but my kids are happier knowing overall what work is expected and getting it done with some meanderings and rabbit holes and digging in the backyard and climbing trees. So that's what they do. We do get everything done, just some days it's before lunch and others it's before bedtime.

Tips (some of which I totally ignored) For Starting Homeschooling:

Start Slow.
Lots of experienced homeschoolers recommend starting with one or two subjects for a week or two then easing into the rest as you get your footing. I counted the after-schooling we did last year as easing into the process.

Or you can just start everything at once and see how it goes...

While not catastrophic, this method of jumping in was stressful for me and tiring for my kinder-princess who after two years decided to resume her afternoon nap.

Schedule things.
You'd better believe I had collated hole-punched and organized my kids curriculums. It's what I do. It's what I live for. I'm a type A personality. My son likes being autonomous, but he's seven and can't really organize it himself yet.



Working on his vocabulary/handwriting out of his magazine holder workbox.
This must have been early in the week because my laptop was still on the desk, it has since retreated to it's own little corner.

We agreed to try a workbox system that allows him to pick his boxes in an order that works for him and be able to see which ones he's got left.

Shop. (And organize some more.)
Make sure you have papers, pencils, glue sticks and all easily accessible and organized. Make sure that you've printed off copies of the pages that you're planning on using because nothing slows down spelling like searching your pinterest board mid-lesson in search of that really cute printable you'd written into your planner for the day. Again, not so much a problem, although I did spend the better part of the kids doing their math on Tuesday sharpening a box of pencils manually. I need to invest in a pencil sharpener that isn't shaped like an animal.

Stay Firm
Speaking of pinterest, you are going to find out that everyone has a neighbor/cousin/friend who homeschools and had the best idea that you absolutely must try out when you homeschool. Never mind the scads of adorable pinterest lapbooks and project and trips and photogenic blogs detailing every minute of their homeschool bliss.

Ah, how cute, they're getting along!
Which would be why I took a picture: to document that this happens from time to time.

I'm sorry, but I'm with Fletch and Kendra of Homeschooling IRL, I'm glad there are lovely Martha Stewart-esque homeschools out there, but that's not my real life. If I keep piling on the good things, I'm going to overwhelm my husband, myself and my kids and that's not fair to anyone. Not that I totally shun pinterest, because that modified workbox system that's working great for Chris so far? Yep, found it as a pin.

Relax
If anything you are doing doesn't seem to be working you can work through the awkwardness, adjust and only use the parts you want or just scrap it and start with something else. If you were starting a new job and you were starting your children in all new schools in a new district with new teachers, you would definitely allow for some adjustments and stress and strains on all of you.
Guess what?
You are starting a new job.
Your children are in an all new school with a brand new teacher.
Thankfully it's a forgiving environment that you're likely already comfortable in and if everyone starts feeling overwhelmed you can always call school off (or claim it's PE) and go hit the pool at the Y for a few hours.

Sun drying after PE.

Pick a Curriculum You Love
If you don't love it and you hate doing it everyday, why on earth did you pick it? So far we love ours. (With the exception of spelling, which Chris does not like doing in any form imaginable, but tolerates so there is that.) I am an unashamed bookworm. My son will stay up late into the night reading, if given the choice and my daughter is right on track to be reading everything in the house by Christmas. So finding something where we could all spend a fair amount of our time reading naturally fit with that love. My son loves learning about real long ago and real far away and maps also pretty easy to find curriculum for that. My daughter loves anything artsy. Language Arts, Piano, Coloring, Crafts, Pinterest, Chalk, Lapbooks, she loves them all.

Coil Pottery. I somehow doubt the ancient peoples used reddish pink Play-Doh, but who knows?

We're using Sonlight Core B for History and Language Arts, Horizons for Math and A Reason for Handwriting. We spent the end of each school day all curled up together reading Charlotte's Web or Homer Price. 


So far, homeschooling shows me how much and where I need to be growing as a person (patience, anybody?) and that my kids are sweeter, smarter and more interesting that I'd thought possible! As much as I'd suspected going in, this is going to be a challenge, but I'm more certain than ever that it will be one that will bless our whole family.