For many years I had considered homeschooling, but put it off because I was afraid it would be disastrous. The kids don't listen to me very much when I'm NOT trying to teach them stuff...so how am I going to spend an entire year teaching them several hours a day? So when Jade finished off her 6th grade year with several F's and D's, yet passed all her classes since the teachers knew she was smart enough and didn't want to make it worse by making her repeat classes, I knew we had to do something different. At first I looked for an alternative school option, but there really isn't something we can afford like a private school. I did find this program called PARADE where I would home school her for 20 hours a week and she would go to a class twice a week for some important courses. Sounded great! But what to do for the 20 hours of homeschooling? Then, after talking to a good friend, I found Columbia Virtual Academy. There are no in school classes with this, but by the time I found it I was already starting to get excited about homeschooling so it was less scary. Turns out this school, run by the state, would provide all homeschooling materials and I could even pick them out myself if I want. Now I will say, it has been frustrating at times. Getting all the materials we need is slow going. (Still don't have Math, History or Science) The advisory teacher is very nice, though perhaps a tad slow, but I figure she's probably dealing with a LOT of students so we're doing our best with what we have. We started a couple weeks ago and I have to say, I am very impressed with Jade!! I was worried that we would clash when I asked her to do things, but she has accepted that when we're homeschooling she needs to do the work and I think for that time I am Mrs. Mom instead of just Mom. She is SO freaking smart! I have also had some moments when she asks me to explain something and I have to drag myself back to high school to figure it out. Long division, different nouns, and spelling tests. But I have to say, I think I have learned a better way to do long division from this so I guess we're both learning together. :) She is also learning Russian and seems to be enjoying that. Sadly our microphone keeps breaking so it's not as easy as it should be, but she's a really great kid who muddles through with what she has and gets it done! Next week I want to go to the Science Center and get her a membership to the YMCA. I think they will be great learning tools for us.
Aside from the new schooling schedule, we have been doing pretty good. My house is much, much cleaner then it used to be, we dropped a Judo class and now I feel like I'm not ALWAYS on the go, and the kids are doing pretty darn good! Isabelle is so smart and so funny. She's learning things that I don't even realize she's learning. She draws amazing pictures, says big words and tells her own little jokes. Nicholas is doing so much better in school then I imagined. I knew he'd be OK, but he's actually doing great! We really need to start cracking down on him wearing his glasses though. Drake is such a great guy. He's funny and smart and really is pretty responsible. Sometimes I forget to notice, and I really need to stop doing that, because he's great and I want him to feel good about that! Aside from school, Jade is growing up so fast. Everyday she is more and more like a young adult. Sometimes it's hard to remember that she's only 12.
Michael and I are doing SO much better right now. We went to a couples clinic last weekend in Seattle and learned SO much about communication and have been really talking about our feelings without getting defensive or angry. I have learned that he can tell me how he feels about something without it actually being about ME and that sometimes it's OK to be disappointed as long as you find a way to express that without being hurtful.
As I sign off...I just wanted to say that my basil plant is actually growing and I am in shock because usually plants turn brown and wither in my house. (Or the kids pull them out of their pots and swing them around, which results in the same thing!)
The blog is closing
2 weeks ago
