School Days: My Two-Step Approach

Well, the summer schedule is officially over, and we have moved on to our regular schooling schedule. This was our first week back and it has been full and interesting. The kids have been excited all week and have been putting forth great effort. I have been busy trying to keep up with our new schedule and making sure I don't fall behind in the logistics: checking work, filing papers, creating lists, and preparing for the next day.

I must say that each day has not gone exactly as I've planned and I am learning that is okay. There are 2 bits of wisdom that I have purposed to begin the school year with:
  1. Feel free to chose motherhood first. Life happens right in the middle of our schooling ALL. OF. THE. TIME. Although my children need to be well-educated, they also need correction, training, love, cleaning, nurturing. . . and the list goes on. So, when a dirty diaper, cranky toddler, or poor attitude interrupts our school plans, I choose being a mom. And I'm learning to make that choice freely, without hesitation, without frustration that our school day isn't going as planned, and without worry that we're going to fall behind. I'm not perfect at it yet, but I am intentional about applying it.
  2. Try again tomorrow. This three-word sentence is so encouraging. It echoes the promise of Lamentations 3:22-24. . . . God's mercies are new EVERY morning. So long as God graciously gives me tomorrow, I know that a fresh, new, heaping portion of MERCY will come with it. Literally, every single day this week, there has been something that I did not get to do that I wanted to do with the kids. But, I knew I could walk away from the end of the day knowing I tried and that, God willing, I get to try again tomorrow.


Baby J: 5 months old
Upon entering our 3rd year of homeschooling, I've taken this summer to reflect. In our first two years of homeschooling, I was pregnant with #4 and then with #5. Because of a new baby's impending entrance into our family, I had this "squeeze-in-every-thing-you-can-because-you-don't-know-when-you're-going-into-labor" approach to homeschooling. Looking back on that, I'm realizing, pregnant or not, that is a sure way to frustration and burn-out--trying to squeeze in every lesson I can. The Holy Spirit is teaching me to calm down on purpose, and to accept that I can't "do it all" and that is okay. If I could do it all, then when would I ever depend on the Lord for what I need? So I am grateful for my new "two-step" approach. :)

Here are some pictures from our week, including a school room tour and some interesting insects we found outside.

Welcome to Chelmont Academy:
Our one-room, stand alone, school room.
The pictures will go to the left from this door,
all the way around the room.
Calendar/U.S. Map
My sweet kiddos/World map
Curriculum shelf/Library book basket


TV/Preschool corner


Preschool corner w/ cute little toddler :)


Mom's desk/printer/computer
(I obviously didn't clean up before taking the pic.
Real life, ladies!)


Art supplies/puzzles/games
(This is just to the right of the door.)

 
1st grader (JR) working on his time line


5th grader (SJ) reading in the atlas.


3rd grader (TM) reading in a history book.


Toddler toes (JD) and JR's timeline.


Praying Mantis we freed from a spider's web.


Weird-looking cocoons. . .


. . . .with strange caterpillar-like creatures coming out.
Insects just aren't my thing! LOL But my kids insisted on pictures, along with
daily checking to see what's going on.

Edited to Add: To our surprise, these aren't cocoons or caterpillars. They are bag worms, a type of pest,
that are having a grand old time eating up dwarf spruces!! (Disgusting!!). If you want to
know more, check out this post!
 
Taken outside of the school room on our 1st day.
They were happy to be back in the school room, since
we'd been schooling at the kitchen table since Baby J was born.
How are things going in your homeschool so far? What lessons are you learning already?

Happy schooling!!

Linked with:
What Joy Is Mine






 
Welcome Home Wednesdays
 

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Comments

  1. Hi! I just did a post on what our homeschool looks like now 9 years later! It goes sooo fast!! Glad you are keeping it real!:) Also, just saw a post on those weird wormy creatures on deeprootsathome.com like 2 days ago!! Might be a good read/lesson for the kiddos!:) hope you have a blessed year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Farmlife Chick,

      I will have to check your post out---9 years of homeschooling, huh?!?! That is great. I've seen a quote that says: "The days are long, but the years are short." How accurate!
      And, I will certainly have to read about the weird wormy things; thanks!

      God bless your school year, too. Take care!

      Delete
  2. Happy first week of school! :) It looks like fun and brings back sooo many memories to me of when my children were young. Sounds like a great start. I just heard a wonderful interview regarding the reason that homeschoolers are doing so well academically and it wasn't all about books and school work, but instead the time, closeness and love from the parents and the ability to be who they are. That the encouragement and love makes the biggest difference of all. You're on the right track. :) Enjoy! Blessings, Jen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jen,

      Thank you so much for these encouraging words. They mean a lot to me and will go a long way.

      God bless you, friend!

      Delete
  3. Here's to an awesome school year! I really enjoyed reading your post this morning. We are somewhat similar with our approaches to teaching our children and motherhood. Thanks for the reminder that is definitely okay to choose being a mom first.

    Is your school room attached to your house?

    Have a great weekend!
    Sorry if this a duplicate, not sure where my original comment went.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Latonya,

      Thank you so much; I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm learning how to walk out this calling of a wife/mom/homeschooling child of God.

      Nope, our school room is detached and is about 6 feet away from our house. It orginally was a wood-working shed (from the previous owner), complete with electric and phone. But, we never used it for that, or really for anything for that matter. So, my husband converted it to an actual room once we made the choice to homeschool. It certainly has its pros and cons, but we make it work.

      Take care!!

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  4. Stacie, Oh, what a neat post! I feel like I've known you for years :0 Your children are precious and you are cultivating such a wonderful legacy of doing a relaxed learning lifestyle...HOMEschool at its finest! May the Lord continue to bless and encourage you, as you say 'not to cram' but to just to depend on God for your every need and He will supply it. I prayed that the Lord would help me with just one year at a time so I wouldn't get overwhelmed or worried and He did!! We didn't 'DO' everything, just what he showed me at the time. I couldn't be more thankful and so are our children, 22,20, and 20~
    Blessings...and a hug!
    Jacqueline
    PS: I have just been enjoying your blog! I'd love it if your would consider sharing some of your terrific posts (over them months ahead) with DRAH readers on the weekly Wednesday link-up. When I see a blog that teaches and blesses, I have just started to invite that writer to share content, and your blog fits my vision for encouraging women, wives, and mothers. It will increase your readership over time, but bottom line really, it will encourage those who are wanting to serve their family in healthier ways and be better homemakers.
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacqueline,
      Thanks for visiting and for such sweet words of encouragement. I like the idea of one year at a time. Step by step!

      I am glad you're encouraged by what you see here and I would love to link up with you on Wednesdays. Thanks for inviting me! God led me to blogging and through the content other godly women have shared, my life has been richly blessed.

      Take care and I'm glad to "meet" you!!

      Delete

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