A week in...

        Well, we are week into homeschooling this year and I have to say it is going okay. I am not going to lie it is work and work isn't always easy. The easy go with the flow kid is gone this week. Aaron, my dear wonderful child, isn't always easy either. Neither am I. That being said we are having more good times then bad and he is learning a lot already.
        My style of schooling is a little more easy going then his. He puts a lot of pressure on himself which in some ways is good but other ways not so much. I think it is this pressure what makes him not want to start the work. He totally expects to able to do things on the first try and gets frustrated when he has to practice things...piano, multiplication, spelling....etc. Then he starts to act out his frustration by yelling and whining and eventually goes into his room, in theory to calm down. He does get calmed down but it makes it so hard for us to keep going on with the lesson. Or get it started as the case may be. I knew the first week was going to be hard and I know that a big part of the reason Aaron is home with us is so that we can address these issue, I just worry that is is going to be the entire year. It is hard to say upbeat and positive when simply mentioning work brings on a fuss. Anyone have any advice?
When I started homeschooling, I thought I was going to be an unschooler and everything would just flow along, but, Aaron rebelled against that just as badly as he does work. Sometimes I wonder which is the right way but the truth is, Matt sorta made the choice for us this year. He was willing to home school but absolutely against unschooling he did not care for it last year. It was a compromise I agreed to because I wanted to keep Aaron home so badly. Matt has gotten very laid back but still expects Aaron to do a certain amount of work each day. I guess, maybe, I have having first week jitters and worries. This will be the first full year of homeschooling so I think we are stilling feeling a little out of sorts.

Going with the flow....

School has started officially at The Lyon's Den, Monday we just eased into Science on the subject of Beavers, Aaron had fun watching a BBC video about beavers vs a construction team, then did a couple of worksheets with fill in the blank questions. And yesterday, while I worked, Matt took him to the local children's museum which features a replica of a beaver lodge and has a few little activities around it. They also have a make-shift stream which they used to make dams with. He will finish up the unit today with a writing assignment and word search. Matt said Aaron had a lot of fun at the museum and was able to play with a few of the children there as well. We have also worked on: Math, Geography and History.  We are sorta easing into things so we don't overwhelm.

Aaron said he has a new motto: Go with the flow...he said this as he started doing his first Math worksheet. He said "I don't like it but I decided to just go with the flow, if I just do it and don't complain, I can get it done much faster". I think my jaw may have dropped to the floor. In the past he has really thrown a fit around school, and while we understand his behavior and worked through it, we were sometimes discouraged by his attitude. So, this isn't a jump up and down reaction that we would like, it is an improvement.

As a family we have started to work out and get into shape the last few weeks and I have to say that it is helping everybody's attitude. Matt and Aaron can bike and swim for miles outside and having been taking the bikes everywhere but, neither of them like to walk. I like to walk but, prefer to bike and swim at the gym but, since they like to swim at the gym too we have been able to do that together. Aaron said he is really loving the extra exercise and I think it is helping with a better attitude. 

Aaron has been making houses out of cardboard boxes, not for him to play in but as models of house he would like to build. I can't wait to get my camera working so I can take some pictures, he has some crazy ideas but seems to really love it.

Now, that school has started I will be writing more frequently and hope to start getting some pictures too. 

~HB

Behind and ahead....

I have gotten behind on the blog. I knew it would happen since I am just starting out but to be fair to myself, we have been having a couple of ho-hum weeks. Basically,since my work has been short staffed I have worked 40-50 hours a week and Matt had a change in his shifts which we are getting adjusted to as well. Aaron did get to go stay with Matt's parents for a few days. He super loves to go there because they just have a great way with him and show such unconditional love. Every kid needs someplace and someone outside of their parents that makes them feel totally accepted and that is Matt's parents house. He comes home with such a great and happy attitude. I am grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.
 We did decide on a school starting date, August 13th. Basically, it gives us a week to finish up prep and that is probably more then we need.We have decided to use Time 4 Learning and a variety of free sites. Basically going to be covering: Geography, Science, Math, History, Spelling, Writing and Reading, as well as moving on with Chinese. We have plotted out a number of different lesson and both Matt and I are looking forward to teaching. Matt will also cover Art and Gym. Aaron already takes piano lesson so Music is covered. This is our first full year and we are excited to get started. Aaron on the other hand could care less about any of it. I don't know if it is his age or what but he just seems so uninterested in everything we bring up. He says he is happy to be staying home but other then that he has made very little comment on anything we have shown him. My Mother says it is his age and that once we get started he will be more excited. I hope so.  I love to read about all the kids who do all this spectacular learning and extra projects and how excited and advanced they are just Naturally but that is not Aaron. We are hoping to inspire Aaron to more this year and battle less.
Cheers and good hopes all!
~<3~ HB