Homeschooling has Began

This is our first week of homeschooling.  It's been a crazy whirlwind!  The decision was made to homeschool Sebastian for many reasons.  I am not going to bore you with the whys but just know there were reasons :)

This first week, I have learned many things about Sebastian.  The first being is he is so smart!!  I knew he was smart, but he just gobbles up information.  We are doing a Curious George unit this week.  He loves Curious George.  It's his favorite!  He says he is like George.  Anyway, he is reading the books almost entirely on his own.  WOW!!!  These are 2-3rd grade level books.  I am impressed!  We have talked about who the authors are and their lives.  He loves that he can actually see pictures of H.A. and Margaret Rey.  He loves their story.  They escaped from Germany when a war came.  He knows they left on bicycles and only carried with them the pictures of George and the ideas for the book.  We've made Curious George Banana Bread.  We've satisfied our curiosity and signed up for a library card.  He's eating up homeschool.  Yes, we have phonics time.  Yes, we have math time.  Yes, we have social living time.  We do everything he would do in school.  We just get to have more fun and more flexibility.

Next week, we are going to study plants and do some experiments with them.  I am excited that I have finished my lesson plans already.  I still should go in and put the standards for phonics and reading, but there are so many and they always come up every week. I have to say I don't miss all of the paperwork that goes along with teaching in a public school.  I also don't miss having to coral 24 kids with different behaviors/personalities.  I can focus on the most important student to me:  Sebastian.  I know where he is on fire and where he needs to work.  I can cook, clean, take care of Lily and teach him all in a day and not feel totally overwhelmed. 

Are things perfect?  No.  Of course not.  Homeschooling takes a lot of patience, discipline, routines, and organization.  Most of which I have to work on :)
We are finding our rhythm. We are enjoying being with family.  I am lucky enough to take care of my children at home and not have to work.  God is good.  He has even sent us a sweet girl to take care of after school.  Sebastian does his homework when she does hers.  Then, they play.  They play cards and hide and seek.  It's great that he has someone to play with and socialize with everyday.  The best part is Lily let's her hold her.  My little fuss bucket likes Alayna.

I am enjoying myself and so is Sebastian.  Lily loves that I am home all day and I am sure the daycares like that, too (Lily would probably scream the whole time).  Eric has been working nonstop lately.  He is up and gone early and comes home late.  That's the only downside.  We don't get to see him much.  I know that he would work like this whether or not I was working or not. He is a great man and I am lucky to have him.