Back at it!

Tuesday, Jan. 5th:

Well, yesterday was my little Kevin's birthday as well as our first day back to school in almost a month!! I have been thinking of a new schedule that includes the littles into our school time. They are always so interested in what the big kids are doing and love to participate, not to mention learning a thing or two!


So, I've been playing with the idea of using a "work box" type system with them that will have writing practice sheets, puzzles, coloring, etc. Well Julie certainly answered my question as to if I really needed a system when she finished her shapes sheet and said "What's next?" So I'll definitely be putting together something for them soon. Julie is very bright and I can tell she enjoys everything about "school"! She is such a hoot!


My big girls also reminded me how intuitive kids can be! I have been remaking our "schedule" in my head and sat down yesterday with them to brainstorm some ideas. Well wouldn't you know it, they gave me the ideas I already had arranged in my head, and I hadn't said a word to either of them!

So after much prayer concerning this next semester, I'm hearing and seeing the answers unfold and I'm excited to see it coming together! Until recently, I was starting to dread the thought of battling with the littles everyday during school, when all I needed was to include them!


I do believe that all the kids have had a good start back to school. Jessica was very eager to get back to it and she said so right after she got dressed on Monday! She said she was SO ready for school to start back! I am happy to hear that from both the big girls because that tells me that it is not going as bad as I think it is!

One More Day

We only have one more day until we start back to school on Monday, Jan. 4th. I must say, I am looking forward to it. We were very busy with the Christmas Holiday and took a big break from schooling. I think that the kids are ready as well to get back into a "routine" of sorts!

Tomorrow I have plans to go over all the big kids books and decide where we need to start back. I am considering the Charlotte Mason approach and have been researching it every chance I get. I love the Ambelside Online site...it has a ton of info. But my children have not been very interested in so much reading...that is until Santa left some books by Homer for our Jessica (12 yog) and Charles Dickens for our Jennifer (7 yog). Jessica has become more of a reader lately and has expressed a bigger interest in reading. Jennifer carries A Tale of Two Cities around with her and wants to read it all the time! To me that was a little much for her, but the hubby doesn't see a problem yet and I'm just glad she is so interested.

My biggest challenge right now is trying to figure out what to do with Julie (4 yog) and Kevin (3 yob) because they really want to be involved in school, and should be! So I'm also considering a workbox system of some sort.

Well I guess tomorrow I will be rather busy!

So if anyone out there wants to share what they know about Charlotte Mason and workboxes, by all means share! I am really interested in how to get started in the CM method without becoming overwhelmed.