one month down

I think I am getting used to this homeschooling thing. Every day is different. I have my good days, productive days, and lazy days. Those days are especially good when someone is sick. I also love my field trip days too. The kids also love going out at least once a week. We are all learning so much. I am learning that each of my children are different and unique. They each need one on one Mom time, Alone time, and time to explore on their own. I find when I spend the time with each of them, our relationship is better and there is a special degree of trust and love. This last week I gave our routine a change up. I let them decide when they wanted to do school as well as their other duties around the house and gave them all a point value. That proved to be successful and motivating to them. Instead of me telling them how their day was going to roll, they had more of a choice in what and when things were going to happen for them. I think we all liked it much better. I also have been giving them choices and being more relaxed in having a clean home. Nobody wants to feel like they are constantly cleaning up all day long. Especially me! So I am being more forgiving and giving a lot more grace in having the perfect home. I do notice that I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. Mostly due to the fact that I am making most of the food we eat from scratch, the other part is that we are all eating about 6 times a day. Our food expenses have gone up. Because the kids are growing- they eat more, the homemade food tastes so much better- they eat more. But it all takes time too, and I notice they rarely help, probably because they see it as a chore they only help if they are rolling out cookie dough, or pizza dough. I may have to add it to the chore chart. You don't want to know how many dishes I do! This is a work in progress. Today I made crock pot beef stew it is one less meal I had to prepare today, I think I need to do more crock pot meals. The season Is right too, I may enlist one child to take over and make a meal a week. I do love to cook, but if Mom doesn't make anything, no one eats. Larry helps cook on the weekends, that at least gives me a break. He also gives me Sat morning off, my only day off. When I have the kids every day, all day long it gives me a chance to re-group, think about the week and make some adjustments. This next week I am thinking already about how to incorporate worship into our day, and how to make Bible learning fun. I will ask the Holy Spirit to direct my steps, He has already opened my eyes to so much, not only are the kids learning, but I am as well and there is so much more peace in our home.