Homeschooling and flexibility must go hand and hand.  This is a lesson I am currently going through as we speak.  No matter how well you plan and how organized you become, in the end something will happen that will throw it all off and if you try and stay rigid in your scheme, you will break.  You must allow for flexibility.

As you no doubt know, I am all about order and organization.  I dedicated my summer to making sure everything was set for a full year of school with lesson plans laid out down to which day they would be taught.  I created daily sheets with the tasks my kids must do for each kid so there would be no question in their minds on what needs to be done.  I created pretty binders with those plans so neatly laid out in them.  Literally, anywhere you may turn, there is a reminder of just when and what will be covered daily.

BUT, even the best laid plans need room for improvement, or room for just plain change and even those of us with the perceived inability to let our plans go, must, for the greater good, let some things go and make adjustments.

I am in no way saying that you shouldn't plan ahead.  In fact, I am saying the opposite.  Planning ahead, even planning the year will actually help you in your need to be flexible.  As one who is in the middle of making major changes in the year's plan, I can tell you that if I did not already have it all laid out, I would likely go crazy.  As I am already going through the daunting task of needing to change so much, it is easier when I have my calendar laid out and I can just shift some subjects and just fill in new things in those subjects I am completely doing an overhaul on.

Let me give you a "for instance".  For instance, Sierra's language arts program has been a thorn in my side since I bought it....well, not since I bought it, but certainly since Sierra has started using it.  I bought it.  I read through it.  I put the lessons for each day into the calendar...filling up the year.  A couple weeks into school, I realized the program is not going to work for her and will likely never work for her.  This whole part of the year's calendar has to go.  I need to completely figure out a new program for her and am currently allowing myself the flexibility of approaching this subject on a month by month basis.

Another "for instance" is one I never would have seen coming.  Daniel is fairly gifted in math so he usually busts out 2-3 lessons each day, so that is how I planned out the year.  Daniel has hit a wall (I supposed it was bound to happen) and we have had to spend a couple extra days on  a couple concepts.  Looking ahead, I know we will be able to make up time, but this was a speed bump I had not anticipated and I have deviated from the calendar for him.  As much as I love my outline and planning, one of the biggest positives is being able to stop when things get difficult and make sure it is completely covered before going forward.

So, yesterday I spent some time readjusting Sierra's calendar for October and am now, meticulously, planning her daily work sheets as I make those adjustments needed after going a different direction with her language arts program.  I will work through Daniel's math, figuring out how to make sure he gets the current concepts and working on getting him caught up.

As rigid as I am with my schedules and time, I take joy in exercising flexibility and making these adjustments.  I take joy because I know what my kids need and I know what I need to do to make it easier for them and help them to understand what they are doing.  This is what homeschooling is all about.  It is not  a race to the finish line to see who can get there faster...it is an education system.

There is no doubt that when you decide to homeschool there are many reasons you choose to do it.  When asked, you can list out so many reasons for homeschooling and probably most if not all the reasons you list will be centered around your kids.  Maybe you do not want them influenced by other kids you do not approve of.  Maybe you are against state testing for your kids (focus on education and not on testing).  Maybe your kid was bullied.  Maybe you want your kids to have a Christ-centered education.  Maybe you do not want them exposed to all the icky germs.  The list can go on and likely includes all the above or, at least, a few of them.

But, there is more to homeschooling than the benefits for your kids.  The benefits are abundant for you, the homeschool educator.  It is becoming abundantly clear to me recently that I am benefiting just as much or more than my own kids.  Yes, it is true.  Let me tell you how (in no particular order).

1. It is like a continuing education program.  Let's face it, how many of us remember all those wonderful facts and figures from our younger years in school.  If you are like me, you put most of that in your short-term memory storage banks and quickly forgot it all as soon as you possibly could.  I am getting refreshed on facts and how to do this and that.  Remember when you were in school and asked "when am I EVER going to need this information"?  Well, here is your answer.  All these years later, I am using all that information that I thought I had conveniently deleted.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment and completion.
2. There is the obvious, let's face it, moment of just spending time with your kids.  Look, I have a 13-year-old daughter.  I KNOW how fast these years pass.  It can get depressing to see how fast the years have passed...knowing all to well how few years are left.  These are years to TREASURE.  There is nothing like the laughter shared during a spelling test or the sitting together reading a book or the gross task of mummifying a chicken (read my other posts to find out more).  These are moments that are YOURS and NO ONE can take those away from you.  Rather than have your kids leave for 8 hours a day for school and come home and do hours of homework....they are with you for half the time of schoolwork and the rest of the time can be spent just being together.  We take Fridays off.  We will go to the mall, the movies, a bike ride, etc.  This is precious time.
3. There are the relationships you form with your support group(s).  The relationships I have formed since becoming a homeschooler has been the most vital, life-giving, soul-cleansing, most wonderful relationships I have ever formed.  The women who link arms with you to support you as you all embark on the same journey together are just as important as the ones your kids form as they socialize.  Yes, it is possible to homeschool and have a social life for your KIDS and YOURSELF.  Moms night out, park days, play dates, clubs, etc.  It is all just icing on a fantastic, rich cake.

Now, I am not claiming that everyday that everything is all wine and roses.  Just like anything in life, there are those stumbling blocks.  But, it is just another opportunity for growth and development.  I feel more blessed since becoming a homeschool educator.  I knew when I became a mom that THIS was what God created me for.  I was MEANT to do this...care for and nurture my kids.  The homeschooling part became an extension of that and it just fits.

Yesterday, the kids and I watched a 20/20 Barbara Walters Special featuring the best TV shows of all time.  There were a couple things that seemed to stick out to us and Sierra said it best, "This shows that people do not necessarily like the shows that are put out today and Hollywood should go back to what it used to have."  

They came up with the top shows based on viewers ratings via a couple magazines like People.  It truly was fascinating what Americans said were the best of all time in all the categories!

Best Comedies were:  #5 - All in the Family, #4 - The Cosby Show, #3 - Mash, #2 - Seinfeld, and #1 - I Love Lucy.

This told me a lot.  Except for the occasional episode of Seinfeld, these were all good family comedies.  At their worst they were no where near as bad as comedies today.  I admit to being surprised that I Love Lucy was #1, though with my daughter's new obsession with the show, it was great to see.

One category was for variety shows with a #2 spot going to The Carol Burnett Show (remember that one).  I had tears in my eyes as they played some of those iconic moments (Tim Conway was a GENIUS) and Sierra instantly said she wanted to see the show.  The top moms for TV included June Cleaver, Carol Brady, Marion Cunningham and the #1 mom going to Claire Huxtable.  Later in the show, they counted down the Best Shows of All Time.  This list included many of the above shows and was topped off with, as the #1 show of all time....I Love Lucy.

I think this speaks volumes.  Wouldn't it be great if there were shows like these today?  Why do we need to add in all the junk?  When presenting the top dramas, #4 or #3 was Madmen.  I was pretty disappointed in that because I have seen the show and it is just full of sex.  The creator of the show said it plainly...he wanted to create a show that was like Seinfeld....a show about nothing.....a show full of sex.  Other than this one category, all the other ones were so much about good, clean fun.  I could not help but grieve as I saw the shows that were voted in the top and think of the shows that air today.

Now, I am not bashing Hollywood for making these shows.  They make shows that sell.  If we weren't watching them, they wouldn't be making them.  It seems to me that we like the idea of watching these classic shows, but lack the control at opting not to watch the bad shows that are currently on air.  

One way we (as a family) have controlled ourselves from the temptation is discontinuing cable.  If we can't watch it...than it won't get watched.  We further control ourselves by dvring shows and not watching anything live.  This allows us to instantly, upon watching a show with low morality, cancel the recording of the series.  Now, we do ROKU with Netflix Instant Watch and Amazon Instant Video (which certainly has a LOT of bad shows on it), but we can queue up those shows and movies that we find appropriate and hopefully ignore those that do not.  

I am not getting on a moral high ground here...it was an interesting observation and was one made by my 13-year old daughter.  She LOVES I Love Lucy and craves more shows like this.  I have introduced my kids to The Brady Bunch in the last couple weeks and we just smile and shake our heads at the end of each episode where everything works out in the end and say "Those crazy Bradys!"  There is just not much out now that you can do that with.

And before you shake your finger at me, yes, we watch "The Walking Dead".  It is a highly fictional, albeit violent, show that has it's moments of over sexuality (the fast forward button works wonders).  I view this much like watching a science fiction show like Star Trek.  Will we ever be over taken by walking dead people who want to eat us??  No.  That is one of the many things that makes the show enjoyable.  I do not think we all need to transport back to the 50s to get good television...I just think it would be nice to have more options in entertainment. 

I have entered a new phase of life...a quieter one...a more peaceful one....a much more relaxing one!!  My kids are not gagged...all of the tvs are still plugged in....and I still like listening to my music loud.  No, the sounds that are missing are the constant sounds of alerts on my phone and ringing and texting!!  I mean.....WOW!!  It is amazing.

I love Facebook...I love it SO much.  I LIKE keeping in touch with all my friends.  I LOVE hearing about their ups and their downs (ok, I don't like the downs, but I like praying for them).  But, as your social circle grows, it can be hard to get the constant alerts.  People post multiple times a day and for each post, my phone would ding.  OR, I comment on a post and get dinged everytime someone else posts after.....ugh!  I could get tons of dings a minute.  Not good.  It was starting to get on my nerves...seriously...I could feel myself twinge with each sound....the eye starts twitching...I start muttering nonsense to myself.

I went through and tried to change friendship statuses, but my aversion to the ding had reached a manic level so I finally disabled all notifications from Facebook.  Was this EVER liberating.  When I have time to check, I check.  Know what...I am not missing anything earth shattering.  I get to read my friends updates in peace and my irritation level has gone way down.

But this new feeling still left me hollow....for my phone is constantly ringing and my texts are constantly double dinging and my hair is getting thinner as I pull it out.  I'm in the middle of a school lesson and if it isn't the ring it's the vibrating and it was just getting ridiculous.

Then Apple did a wonderful thing...they released an update, ios 6.  Oh my.  I do not know much about the update...yet....  I just downloaded it last night.  I noticed a new feature on it...."Do Not Disturb".  What is this wondrous thing??  Oh my....best update feature EVER.  You turn on the feature and the only time your phone will ring or your text will ding is if the person calling you is in your favorites list!!  Oh, you can see that they called when you turn on your phone....but you never got rudely interrupted.  Heaven sounds a lot like this!  My phone is so quiet and I am so at peace.  

Of course, this means that if you are NOT on my favorites list, I will miss your call...leave a message....I'll call you back..........maybe.

When both my kids were in public school, there was always a treasure box in the classroom.  The idea was, be good all week long and you can go to the treasure box.  Most of the time the treasure box was filled with silly things like Happy Meal toys...teachers are on a strict budget after all.  I never minded it.  I do not see what is wrong with rewarding good behavior.  I never understood why many parents are against it.  When we work as adults, we get rewards (paychecks, bonuses, raises, promotions).  

When I began homeschooling my son last year, it never really occurred to me to do any kind of treasure box thing.  I  mean, he's a good kid.  We had to deal with some attitude some times last year (I think he thought homeschool meant play time), but we had it pretty much nipped in the bud.

BUT, I was anticipating that after a summer off, I could see the drooping of shoulders, the fine tuning of the whining instruments, the minds working at excuses and I started dreading the beginning of the new year.

So.....don't judge....but I got to thinking about that treasure box idea.  I started thinking about how that might give that extra bit of motivation to get work done, to do it to the best of their ability, and to do it with good attitudes.  I pitched the idea to Matt who instantly saw dollar signs.  Look, Happy Meal toys will not work for my kids nor will trips to the Dollar Tree.  I wasn't pitching anything TOO crazy.  For Daniel, Lego minifigure packs would be great...and at $3/week, not a bank breaking cost.  For Sierra, makeup and nail items...nothing crazy, but a makeup brush here, a thing of nail polish there.  He conceded.

Sierra thought, initially, that it seemed babyish...but reason took over and she thought "free makeup?!!!"  Daniel was, of course, on board.  So we went shopping, getting a few minifigure packs and some makeup items to put in "the treasure box".

Today marks the end of the 3rd week this has been in practice.  No whining.  GREAT behavior.  With the whining being gone (and let's face it, the effort they would have to put into whining being gone), there is more time to get things done and get them done right.  The focus is there.  The habits are being made.  The goals are being kept (even when Sierra was sick, she worked hard to make up for what she lost with a day in bed).  And there is the joy at finishing their week of hard work and getting this little trinket.

So, I know a lot of people will say I am not doing my kids any favors.  Well, I disagree.  It's not like my kids are bad and need to be bribed into being good.  It is more of a reward for working hard and doing it with little to no complaint.  

Today we concluded our first week of school.  It was a short week since we started the day after Labor Day.  Daniel always ends on Thursday (unless there are special circumstances like field trip during the week or special project like our upcoming mummifying a chicken project), but Sierra is set to have school Monday through Friday because her workload is just so much greater.  I planned out the whole school year knowing that things would pop up here and there that would cause strain or require alterations and on this first week of school, we already had a strain moment.

Matt calls me a couple weeks ago with excitement...telling me that "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" is being released in IMAX for a short run and wanted to know if we could go as a family.  Well, this movie is a top movie for Matt, so what could I say.  BUT, in order to avoid any Saturday/Sunday crowd, we all agreed that Friday was a better time for us to see the movie....and I am unwilling to ALREADY make concessions to the schedule.  I told Sierra she needed to work around it....get her work done.  I encouraged her to get all her work done by today, Thursday, so she could have a three day weekend.

So, the week started GREAT!!  Lots of GREAT attitudes, efficiency in getting work done, and even comments on liking the new curriculum and the new organizational system..."be still my heart".

Today, we hit a bit of a snag.  Sierra is prone to sinus infections and, after suffering with a cold all week and than hanging out with friends in the evening at church....OUTDOORS....she woke up with a feeling of sinus infection.  It would be her 5th in a matter of a few months.  She knew she had to get her work done, but quickly felt overwhelmed.  I also discovered that with her Language Arts program, I would probably be better off with the teacher's guide.  

So, we now know we need to tweak some things.  We get an idea on what is working and what needs work.  Daniel's schooling is pretty on course to not needing any tweaks.  He is being challenged a bit more with each day which is good.  He has been motivated to get his work done and thus has been finishing every day before 11 (well, not today, he accidentally did too much math and science was a bit more challenging than he expected).

You have to love homeschooling though.  Sierra was having a tough time converting measurements and needed my assistance.  Ok....TOTAL confession time......I AM A NERD!!  Converting measurements was SO MUCH FUN!!!  I LOVE IT!!  (I was also going over diagramming sentences with Sierra earlier and was having fun with that too!...)  But, as I was happily explaining to her how it works, she was falling asleep (sinus pressure).  So, I said...ok.  Time to get blood flowing...let's go do your shots and go to the library and than come back and finish going over this.  This totally revitalized her and when we came back it took only minutes for her to conquer converting!!!  You can't do that in school!!  

I am very proud of my kids and I feel motivated for the rest of the year.  And, tomorrow, Matt is taking the day off work, and we will be off to see Raiders in the IMAX.  It is a great way to end a great week...sinus issues and all.

Here is Sierra and I learning about converting measurements while drinking some tea.  Sierra is a tea freak...she loves drinking a nice BIG mug of hot tea or two or three each day!!

Last Friday, I decided that it was time to take a break from Facebook...but I didn't take much of a break.  I deleted the app from my phone and x'd out the tab on my computer, but about twice a day these last couple days, I would check my facebook just to see...what is going on out there.

It was a short time, but I think I have figured out that it is not facebook I am needing a break from....it is the constant notifications on my phone.  Much like Pavlov's dogs, when my phone dings, I stop what I am doing and have to look at it (I might even drool a little).  I find myself CONSTANTLY looking at my phone.  It is really ridiculous.  

You know what I mean...a friend of yours has posted a sad post....a need for prayer.  You want her to know you are praying for her, so you leave a comment: "praying for you".  What follows is the 20 other commentors also relaying their devotion to pray.  This is only one example.  

There is also the friend who posts multiple posts an hour.  It's not that I am not interested in the posts...quite the opposite....but I'd rather just sit down to my computer a couple times a day and get the updates then....

Whether it is a chronic poster, or multiple comments on a post I have commented on, or what have you...I find myself constantly looking at my phone.  It's distracting.  I could be in the middle of a deep conversation with my daughter...or my son could be showing me his latest Lego creation...or Matt telling me something about work...and my phone is going off.

No...it is not an issue with needing a break from facebook.  I love facebook.  It's the constant notifications.  So...now I am tweaking facebook....seeing if I can cut out the notifications and be left to check facebook at my convenience.  It has worked well these last two days.  I looked at my phone this morning (before I reinstalled my facebook app) and the screen was not loaded to the hilt with notifications.  It was relieving.  I want to have my facebook app...I just do not want to be chained to my phone.  I do not want to be that person who constantly has her nose to her phone.

So, there you have it.  lol