Sometimes...You Need to Take A Step Back

You would think after ten years of homeschooling, I would be a whiz at teaching my kids. Nope...I'm not. I still have my struggles and my insecurities. When you think you're doing something fabulous, and have fancy books that might help...really...it doesn't. Sometimes best laid plans can go completely sideways.
Take for example, my dear sweet Emilie. Now...there are many things that I know I did with the boys that I didn't and haven't done with Emilie. They aren't her, and she's not them...so I adjust...hoping what I do with her will work for her. Well...sometimes...no.

I bought for this year a wonderful Language Arts book thinking that it would be the cure all for our Language Arts woes with Emilie. Nope...both of us hit a brick wall. There have been many tears from both of us this year. Finally, when I was almost ready to give up, a good friend of mine and myself went on a walk, and vented and cleared our heads about homeschooling. We asked each other: Why are we doing this? What do we want the kids to accomplish? Are marks and to-do lists THAT important?  Are we homeschooling for us and the children in mind...or are we concerned about what others with say...namely our school board.

I went home that night and really thought about things. Here I was, nearing the end of my tenth year of homeschooling, and I was still doing it... meaning that I was still loving it...even when I hit a few ruts.  The kids ARE learning. The kids ARE thriving. Who cares, if I switch curriculum at the end of February. I'm not teaching for the sake of what my facilitator says ( and she is a lovely person) I'm teaching for my childrens' sake. I"m teaching because I want them to love learning.

So...back to Emilie. I switched from this fancy book and went back to the basics. I had these books hiding in a box that I did with each of the boys. I've catered and changed up the curriculum for Emilie to fit her...not for Emilie to fit the curriculum. And you know what? We have made headway!  We are back to lap-booking ..which we both love to do for all our stories and novels. I've simplified her story writing and grammar, and there are no tears...from either one of us.

Sometimes...you just need to take a step back and reassess to move forward...oh...and take a really nice long walk with a friend to bring you back to the basics ;)