So another week is flying by in our homeschooling lives. It feels like we’re getting into a groove which is good…even if it isn’t quite the groove I imagined! I’m learning a lot about my children, and being reminded of some things I already knew.

For instance, Brother Bear wants to do everything Sister Bear wants. If Sister is doing phonics games, he wants to do phonics games. If sister is breezing through handwriting, he wants to keep the pages churning. It’s fun. And encouraging. They’re going to keep each other moving! And curious, and ready to learn!

This week we started a homeschool soccer program we learned of through a friend. The coach is fantastic! Brother Bear has been begging to play soccer this fall, and I was thrilled for the chance to connect with more homeschoolers! Sister Bear was adamantly against the idea, even with gentle prodding and suggesting. “It’s too boyish,” was the response I’d get. What? We don’t even talk that way! I give her three weeks before she’s asking for a pink sparkle ball. She was inching closer and closer to the field as the hour progressed!

We’re working on math a lot, which at this point is counting and practicing writing the numbers. We were having trouble with the figure eight. Cue School House Rock!. Then, as everything right now is no longer “Awesome” but is rather all things Elsa, I had Elsa freeze the living room into a skating rink (roll up the rug), taped a figure 8 on the floor with string and we went to town skating the figure 8.

In other news, I’m not sure about the phonics program I went with this year. I was so looking forward to it. It was all laid out, a complete package. And seemed more thorough than the one we used last year. Also, it goes along with the spelling program I was hoping to use. The only issue is the two pages of fluency practice. I get resistance. I get rolled eyes (she’s only five [and a half]). I get excuses and sighs. I’m not sure what to do at this point. The rest of it is fine. It’s just that fluency practice.

Then the last time we sat down to it I get, “You know, I think I like fluency practice!” We’ll just give it more time!

Today we moved slowly and had school as nature walk today. Sometimes books are school and sometimes life is school. Today wasn’t so much a book day. Brother Bear is very distraught that we didn’t get to “do school” today. He’s begging for it. Makes me happy.

Friday is a Mass for homeschooling families. Looking forward to attending and meeting new friends!

This week in school:

Poetry:

Bird Talk by Aileen Fisher

Scripture Memorization:

Psalm 119:105

What We’re Reading (Aloud):

Winnie the Pooh

Sister’s latest can’t-stop-working interest:

Singapore Math work

Brother’s latest can’t-stop-working interest:

Handwriting Without Tears Get Set for School