We unofficially started school today with just a few subjects. Since we’re officially homeschooling under a public charter this year (for the $2K apiece for Tommy and Elizabeth’s textbooks, supplies, and extracurricular activities), our official first day of school will be August 31. But I feel like we’re ready to have a little structure in the mornings, and I know we’ll be glad we got a head start now when we’re packing and moving later this fall. I didn’t know what to expect, and things were harder because I didn’t fall asleep until 4 am and am thus very, very tired today, but I think it all went well! We started at about 9 and spent an hour or so at the table altogether. We started memorizing Psalm 100, then Elizabeth practiced some handwriting and Susie traced some mazes while Tommy and I worked a bit on his Beast Academy math. Janie colored happily for about 2 minutes before fussing, so she eventually transferred to my lap while I did E’s very first First Language Lesson and Tommy did cursive. After coloring some Daniel Tiger pictures I’d printed out of some preschool site last year, Susie disappeared into her room and Elizabeth did some Busy Bag activities with Bug while I did Tommy’s First Language Lessons dictation. Then I sat down and did phonics with Elizabeth while Tommy did some typing practice. We’re going to do the plain old Veritas NT, Greece, and Rome this year, because history is my passion, but I noticed that Veritas has sample lessons of the first week of online self-paced history, so I decided to let the kids watch those this week since I’m not as passionate about Ancient Minoan culture, anyway. All four kids crowded round the computer for that while I took a shower undisturbed! When I came out, the girls declared that self-paced history is “really great!” I find it a bit on the hokey side myself, but that’s okay. Then Tommy and I did a bit more math together while Elizabeth practiced some typing. I ended up taking the little girls off to read some books, and Tommy got out the train set with Janie while I reviewed a math lesson on doubles addition facts up to ten with Elizabeth.
I’m feeling good about things! I know it will get more complicated as we add in the rest of our subjects, but I was relieved that we were able to get so many subjects done, even with no planned activity for the little girls and no mobility or energy on my part. I think the kids are excited about things, too, especially history. I still have some lesson planning to finish and am waiting on some of our new curriculum to be ordered once the charter school starts back up, but I think it’s going to be a good school year!
No picture, though, because apparently the kids have done something to the focus on my camera, and I can’t figure out how to fix it.
In other news, I went to my primary care doctor today for a variety of reasons, and she ordered more x-rays on my foot to see how it’s progressing but wants me to stay off it for another week, regardless of how well it’s healing. Sigh. I was really hoping to be able to start cooking and cleaning again this week.