Back To School in Our Home

This month's Not Just a Mom link up is all about back to school freedom, however I have never known freedom during back to school times.  I went from being a student to being a teacher to being a homeschooling mom.  So back to school time has always been pretty hectic and required me to work extra hard.  Who knew when these topics were picked just what a weird back to school season we'd all be working through this year?!


This coming school year is our 9th year homeschooling and while it gets so much easier each year and we are free to learn about whatever we want, I still have someone home with me all the time.  When we first began homeschooling this meant I was making three meals a day every day plus snacks-- fast forward to now and all I am responsible for is dinner!  I used to have to sit and read and write and do math with each boy while keeping the other two occupied-- now I just ask "did you do your school work today?  Need any help?"

Though this year is shaping up to be so much different than ever before!

Ian is starting his junior year of high school and we've been talking about how to juggle his course load and still allow him at least a few days, or several hours each day, to work.  He has loved his job this summer and doesn't want to give it up. I want to encourage him to keep working as long as it doesn't interfere with his schoolwork.  Luckily he is one of those kids that will start his schoolwork before breakfast if that means he can be done by lunch each day.  He's talking about tackling school work on 3 days and working 2; as long as he can handle the work load I'm fine with that.  He's always motivated to work with his hands and I have a few projects in mind for him to help with around the house too this fall where he'll need the excavator & loader so he's excited. 

Tinkering with the jet ski this summer
Tinkering with the jet ski this summer


Alec was accepted into a local high school that has a great culinary arts program (that he hopes to be accepted into as well).  They spend the first few months exploring all the hands on shops that the school has to offer before picking their specialty for the next 3 1/2 years.  He is so EXCITED!  And while we really have no idea what this school year will look like-- distance learning, in class learning, a mix of both.  I am fully committed to helping him adjust to whatever life throws at us.  As of right now all academic classes are supposed to be on-line while shop days will be in person which means only 1/2 the kids are in the building at a time but that could change at any time. 



I'm kind of disappointed to see the curriculum books we picked out for him sitting on the shelf because I had so many fun things planned for him this year that I was looking forward to tackling with him but that's OK because I just know he's going to do great in school.  He's one of those easily adaptable kids (he must get that from his father).  My only concern is getting him to and from school every day and how that will interrupt our homeschooling routine/ flow and let's face it; that might not be much of a concern this year.   

Evan is starting 7th grade this year (with a few 8th grade subjects thrown in too) and while he will probably need the most help from me in terms of actually teaching I know that he too is going to be so much more independent this year.  I think he's the only one that will be around this year when we go hiking (either just us two or with our hiking group) and that is going to feel so strange to the both of us I'm sure. Hopefully I can use this one on one time with him over these next couple of years to help him find something he's passionate about pursuing as a career possibility.  


What is your year shaping up to look like?

Linking Up With: On the Edge,






Comments

  1. I am excited for all of you. I know it isn't exactly what we all planned but I know you will handle it with grace. I am hopeful that we all will get through this time the best we can. One day at a time.

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    1. I'm pretty excited too! I'm sure we'll handle it no matter what happens and we are definitely just taking everything one day at a time (with tentative plans a week at a time).

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  2. I hadn't thought about the fact that homeschooled kids get more independent in their learning as it progresses. And I love that there is space for kids to pursue their own interests, like Ian continuing to work.

    Our kids are both going back full-time so this MIGHT be a more normal year but we shall see.

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    1. Oh yes, there is great flexibility to tailor our schooling towards the kids interests. In fact, other than math we've always allowed them to pick what we learn about-- they can read their books of their own choosing, they pick our history & science topics, and we always incorporate their hobbies into our schooling too.

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  3. It all sounds so interesting and I know this coming school year will be different I feel that those who did home schooling like yourself are in a better position to handle whatever comes your way than parent's who did not do homeschooling before this. Thanks so much for stopping by and for taking the time to comment!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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    1. I think we've had a bit of an advantage in all of this as the pandemic was hardly a blip on our radar; I mean yes we had to stay home and not see our friends but with my husband still working and us doing our schoolwork each day those few weeks of lockdown/ quarantine we're hugely different for us... other than not wanting to catch a potentially deadly virus that is.

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  4. It's great that you've been homeschooling for years already-- you are prepared for the upcoming year! I'm interested to hear how the culinary arts program goes. That sounds like something he will learn a lot in and your family might benefit from by getting to be future recipe taste testers 😉

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    1. We're already willing taste testers! He has been baking up a storm for a few years now and I keep reminding him that in school he's going to have to make "real" foods too. I'm not sure how they'll manage any shops if we have to go all distance learning but at least I have a kitchen! The boys were joking that the auto shop kids must ask their moms to wreck their cars so they can practice at home.

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  5. I think people who are already homeschooling are faring the best in these times!

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    1. I think so too! It's old hat for us and most of the disruptions have been pretty minor.

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  6. I hope everything goes well! My daughter is doing virtual school so she can still work her same schedule. I said she could do it as long as she keeps up her grades (since some are worth college credit this year), but if she starts to spend less time on school, then she will have to cut back.

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    1. I absolutely told him grades and school come first as he is a student first and foremost. But I am willing to work with him on when we do those classes.

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  7. I seriously have always admired parents who successfully home school their children. This past year certainly put me to the test and I will admit that I failed miserably! It looks like our school year will kick off with my kids going to school on Mondays and Thursdays for full days and then remote learning the other 3 days of the week. I am hoping I can manage to keep the kids on track those 3 days at home! Thanks for sharing how you do it all. It definitely inspires me to do better!

    Shelbee
    www.shelbeeontheedge.com

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    1. I often felt like I had to be failing my kids with this whole homeschooling thing as it rarely felt like we were doing much learning at home but as time went on I realized they were learning so much more than just those few lessons we were doing sitting together. Give yourself grace as this has been an unprecedented time for us all! I'm sure you did much better than you think you did.

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