Raising Saints & Martyrs

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You see that look in her eyes...you know the one. The look that says she isn't going to do this without a fight. I see that look daily. Bear hates Language Arts. I haven't found books she enjoys reading yet. I haven't found a grammar program that doesn't make her cry. And I most certainly haven't had an amazing year trying to get this done.


Actually...I lied...I did find one curriculum that didn't make her want to kill me. That was Wordsmith Apprentice. It was fun for her. The writing was approached in a way that made it less like work and more like a fun activity. She began with filling out a job application and moved on to reading newspaper articles. This curriculum moves the child along with writing and gaining confidence without the child noticing. By the end of the semester Bear was able to bust out a great five paragraph sentence! We also used A Beka, but I wasn't loving it, and neither was she! Every day was a new fight this year. I really should I have switched gears early on, but I had hoped she would rally.

I used Wordsmith Grades 7-9 for Boo. She loves to write, so this wasn't a concern of mine at all with her. I did it in conjunction with Saxon Grammar and Writing Grade 7  and Wordly Wise 3000 Student Book 7. Boo will be using grade 8 for both of these next year at her own request. We have found a curriculum that works really well for her and plan to stick with it! She also used a literature curriculum by BJU: Explorations of Literature. I'm lucky because she loves to read and write, so none of this is wasted on her!


What made the cut for this year:

Moving Beyond the Page L/A 11-13 - This is new to us, but looks promising. Bear hates reading, writing, and grammar, but I am hopeful. She did use a couple MBTP books this year for fun and just loved them! They take a more classical approach than I am used to, but I welcome the change.
BJU Excursions in Literature - This went so well, Boo asked for it again!

I'm not going to lie here...at the beginning of the year I had this all figured out. I had my schedule set for Bear and Boo, I knew the daily routine, I knew the sports schedules, and I for sure was not going to waiver.



How, then, did we wind up here? Bear is constantly fighting me on school work while Boo just trots on by like it's the easiest thing ever. I was frustrated and at the end of my rope. I was watching as one child was falling behind because I was so determined to follow my schedule that I made. The same schedule I made without bothering to work with and consult the two people who knew best what they need: my daughters! Duh!

This week I swallowed my pride and did what I needed. I decided the best way to give my children what they needed was to talk to them. I had fallen into exactly what I do not want to be. The parent that says do the work and keep up {as a teacher, that is what I am told to do, as a mother, I know better}.

How was I able to gain control in just a week? Easy...look...

1. {ok, it was more like two weeks because I needed to plan for a week}...I followed my regular lesson plans for a week

2. During that same week, I began to just ease off and see where exactly the issue was. It really didn't take long.

3. I wrote everything down {by the way, I started the year with a time-block schedule, then swapped to a list schedule right away as both girls preferred it}. I noted what work was not getting finished, or how long each assignment was taking.

4. I read my notes and this is what I saw:
*Boo: Finished all work fast, correctly, and even early.
*Bear: Math was great, she is excelling, Latin...same, Geography is where she slows, she is bored with it. Science was going well as long as I was reading the book to her, same with History. Finally we have Language Arts...this is a disaster. Not one day resulted in finished work. She could only finish if we were doing it all verbally **ding!!

5. I called the doctor! Yes, you read that right. Now, I am not all about labels, but I am a divorced mother, so I need my bases covered. Her doctor and the specialist agree: learning disability {ps...I despise that term. These children are not incapable of learning, they just do it differently!!!} Appropriate appointments made, and school work will be done 50/50 verbally and on her own {because if we are being real...college}.

6. I regrouped: I pulled out my notebook, called the girls in and got to work!

7. The real work: I sat with each child and talked about how she learned and how she liked to break her day up. Boo really does do well with a list, so she still gets her daily task list to check off each day. Bear has a time-block schedule now. Technically both girls do, just in case Boo isn't feeling it that day, she has a time-block to get her through.

8. I went through and printed up worksheets for all missing assignments! Every. Last. One. I then filed those in a file with each child's name and class. If there is missing work it will be there. The child can go in and look when she has extra time and finish the work! I tend to have Friday as quiz day, so this is perfect for Fridays!

9. I picked up additional small unit studies for Boo. When she has nothing left, she can do some of that work. She loves ancient Greece right now, so I got two on that for her.

10. I took a hard look at curriculum because Bear was unhappy with Language Arts and was getting frustrated with the amount of time she was doing Math. For Language Arts, I got rid of a couple items, small books and stupid sentence stuff, and we no longer diagram. For Math I added Life of Fred, which we all LOVE. I am slowly beginning to rethink Mystery of History. While I absolutely love it, I am not sure either of my daughters likes the chronology. Plus, in Volume II there is a lot of anti-catholic view, which I can deal with because it forces me to teach my children the view of the Church, but I worry that I might miss something one day, What do you think? Is there a History curriculum you love?

New schedules for my girls:

As we slowly progress back into the groove of school, we get more organized for the year. I am organizing the girls with 3 inch binders, and myself with a 3 inch binder and some smaller 1.5 inch binders as well. We have the house organized for homeschool as well. When we moved in I bought a china cabinet, we use it for school books and crafty stuff at the moment. Here is a quick look into how we will be organized for the year.

Kids

Each girl has a notebook for a reading log, and will be given prompts for book reports, journaling, and reading logs. In each notebook she has three reading logs, once she reaches a goal she will get a pizza dinner with Mom.

Each girl has a 3 inch binder. Each of these binders will have the following tabs for classes:

Language Arts
     Vocab/Spelling
     Grammar/Writing
     Literature {Boo}

History
     Each week/unit has a sub-tab for work

Science
     Each chapter will have a sub-section for work
     Field trips

Geography
     Sub-sections as needed {we have never worked with this, so this will be a work in progress}

Math
     Basic notes
     Laminated speed tests

Religion
{I have not yet found a curriculum I love though}

Language
{Second semester we will be adding a language!}


Mommy

I have 1.5 inch binders for each girl. These will be used as daily attendance reports, test storage, and final book reports. Sections:

Laminated school year calendar
List of subjects and corresponding books {for Dad's house}
Copies of weekly lesson plans for each child
     Kind of like this, but for a whole week because they need it for Dad's place
Pre-printed copywork and pages as need for Dad's place
Copies of current grades for Dad
Laminated copy of all websites and current passwords

I also use {for my own personal use and planning} the Well Planned Day planner.

So It has been a while since we started cloth diapers, an I love them!

What don't I love? My stash...

We now have about 8 prefolds and 4 covers (2 blueberry and 2 flips)
We also have 2 gPants with 3 liners and 15 inserts (I don't love these anymore)
And we have 13 Sunbaby diapers, 1 Kawaii minky and 1 Bumgenius 4.0

I have also added cloth wipes and cloth liners.

Why don't I love my stash? My tastes are NOT what I expected. I expected to love pockets. I expected to hate prefolds and covers. I expected to be that mom. The one with all the new age pocket diapers. I was wrong.

So, a few months back I decided we should just make gifts for everyone this year. Why? Well, because if we did the regular gift exchange with a $20 (right, because $20 has ever bought anyone anything off their wishlist) limit it would still cost us over $100 (with taxes and shipping) to participate. I spent a ton last year as it was, but it was fun because I my girls had their twin cousins.

Anywho...

This year we are strapped for cash. So what did I do? I raided my sister's pinterest boards in search of crafty inspirations. Then I took to my own boards for gift ideas for the Mother-In-Law, Step-mom, Dad, and of course Mom (who loves a good handmade gift!).

Oh boy...well things went so very well today.  That it, until I learned that I needed at least 10 to 15 more inserts as well as more pockets.  I also took a closer look at the diapers Audrey was wearing and learned that they were a size too large!  Now it is like starting.all.over and I may blow a gasket over the whole thing!

I went straight to panic mode when I realized all the things I need/want.  Those that know me can attest to my want vs. need as being non-existent.  The things I want are the things I need, of course my husband really doesn't see it that way.  He claims we don't need a wet bag or special detergent (although, both really are essential items to cloth diapering).  He also says I don't need all those super cute diapers I am drooling over.  Here is where we part ways.  I do need those diapers.  I must have them.

Anyway...I digress...

I suddenly find myself at a freak out moment due to the initial buy in cost of cloth diapering:

• 2 Packs of Gs (these are essential as the hubby will NOT deal with pocket dipes on road trips to Cali...I will NOT miss Thanksgiving with my family) $26.99 each ($54 assuming BRU or BBB will not allow coupons...I have heard they will on the GPants) Luckily this will give me four more pockets for changes
• 1 pack (6) of Gs pockets for poopy messes $20 (same couponing deal though)
• 1 pack (6) of prefolds by Cocalo $20
• Wet bag from Kawaii $13
• 12 diapers from Kawaii $70 (free shipping over $80...YAY!)
• 1 or 2 minky dipes from Kawaii (all the diapers come with 2 inserts so I would have a total of 28) $8-$16
• Wipes ~ I can make these for around $3 total