our day :)--homefires

Ahhh.. today was a day that will go down as one of those "best" homeschooling days :) Not that everything was perfect.. but a good day non-the-less :)

I got some much needed sleep .. after having quite a few nights of stormy weather.. or neighbors having Cinco de Mayo celebrations.. so I woke up this morning full of energy :) .. The boys did their math at the dining table while Cat worked in her room. After bookwork was finished we did flashcards for about thirty minutes.. I then allowed the kids to have a break and go jump on the trampoline. Later the kids did spelling, handwriting and English.. with the boys at the table and cat in her room. This seemed to workout better as I could fold clothes just feet away from the boys and answer any questions and give pointers as needed (Like.. "start you letters from the top" etc).. We then had lunch and did chores. The kids played on the NASA kids website, did some riddle reading from a Critical Thinking book, and then had a little break. I then read from Joshua and learned about all the land distribution to the Israelites and continued to read from "Cricket". While I was reading the kids sat at the dining table coloring a few history pages. We also worked on our Nations song and got yet another line down. :) This afternoon the kids played with our next door neighbors (hide and seek, trampoline, and a game Cat taught them that she learned at PE)

It seemed the "schedule" we used today worked really well. I will try it again tomorrow and see if the day goes as well :)

I appreciate everyones comments on the last post. It has been an encouragement to read other peoples comments. :) I have done a bit of browsing and found this site today:

One of my favorite finds today was Homefires
the text below is from a list of "15 Common Characteristics of Successful Homeschools" I have copy and pasted my two favorites! check out the rest of the list.. its great! The also have a section called "click schooling" which highlights some of the best learning sites-interactive educational sites.
Teach your kids because you think it's a privilege and a good idea. Learning with your children is a way of expressing affection for them. Giving them knowledge is like giving them a big hug. When education is presented in this way, and with this understanding and attitude, you can't help but create an environment of mutual respect and good will that will serve you throughout your homeschool journey and throughout your lives together.

Above all, remember this, you are not just teaching your child, you are teaching your grandchildren's mother or father how to teach them. Humbling, isn't it? Believe in the magic in your child that will transform him or her to the vision of the adult you hope they will become. Hold that vision in your mind and heart and let it guide your words and deeds throughout your homeschooling days.