And Another Year

Our first week of school was a success! One of the highlights was when Thayne and I acted out the entire Trojan War with Lego and wood blocks. We were having a grand old time. The chariots did look a tad bit like Star Wars vehicles and our boats were not as grand as the black ships of the Greeks but it was a lively battle. There are no pictures because we were having so much fun.
Then as Achilles was dragging Hector's body around, it all hit Thayne. War is serious and sad. Our discussion changed and I love how deep he thinks even though he is just 12.

Thayne's outline

I put forth a challenge for Lydia and Thayne called Reading Rewards. With the older kids I never had to worry about screens demanding my children's attention. The world now has changed so much in the last 25 years that I have been homeschooling. Not only is there television but phones, tablets, video game systems, and the lure of social media. We still do not have 'real' TV and we do not have enough internet to be able to stream any shows but the lure is still there. So it is now down to bribing (oh I mean incentive). I have a chart and for every five days they do their reading they can get an item at the 5 Below store or save up and trade for cash. Eventually they will get into the habit and the rewards thing will drop out, but for now what ever it takes.

Lydia is a senior this year and Thayne will be doing a combination year 6/7. Our day starts at 5:15 as we get ready for Lydia's seminary class. We arrive home from that at 7:30. She has breakfast then heads back to bed to get a few more hours sleep. Thayne eats also then we start school with a nature walk per the weather.  Then we come back and work on math first thing, then his main lesson and  etc... When Lydia awakes we have a joint activity. I am doing the Private Eye program to help them think with analogies. Then lunch and I am reading aloud while we eat. Then we continue with school. Thayne finishes and then I can focus on helping Lydia.

After so many years I needed to really shift my perspective because I was kind of dreading all the planning at first. I listened to some podcasts and read some great articles that helped me get enthusiastic again. I am excited for all the fun and learning we are doing this year.