In my life this week…
You can tell it’s end of term/start of term. I’m eating Nerds for heaven’s sake (quick energy, keeps me awake). I’ve started a six week period where I’m being observed by new online instructors. I’m trying not to be a nervous wreck. It’s not working as well as I’d like.
In our homeschool this week…
I bought a magnetic white board and magnetized the All About Spelling tiles. Oh my goodness, what a difference that’s making. The letters are organized. Ben sails through his spelling now and LOVES the big board. Katie WANTS the big board and has let us know that. Also picked up Song School Latin and Logic Safari. Ben loves puzzles and I thought it might help.
He’s gotten the hang of writing equations. He’s shocked himself by reading the first story in the red series of his reading curriculum and he’s almost memorized the latest poem from FLL. My kid rocks.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
Nana came for a visit on Monday. It was awesome. She’s been visiting her newest grandchild for the last month and Ben was feeling a little deprived. Katie was hoping for Gramps. She was disappointed. I know she’s going to get to see him next weekend, though.
My favorite thing this week was …
The look of shock on Ben’s face when he realized that he could read the first story in his new book. He was refusing because he was sure he couldn’t do it — it looked hard. Surprise!
What’s working/not working for us…
The one thing that we’re struggling mightily with is Ben’s overall resistance. I have his lessons planned so that they shouldn’t take more than an hour to an hour and a half a day. If we finish in four hours I consider it a miracle. He throws fits and refuses to do things. The main reason, as best as I can understand it from him, is because Katie doesn’t have to do the same things (Katie is TWO). She usually colors or cuts paper during the time that would have been his lesson time, but then I have to let her play because it’s utterly unfair to make her sit and wait while he works. I’m working on it. I am.
Homeschool questions/thoughts I have…
A friend reminded me that Ben is five years old. He’s reading pretty well and most of his peers can’t. He’s doing basic math. Most of his peers can’t. I have to remember that he’s amazing and if it takes us more time to do things that’s okay, he’s not behind at all.
A photo, video, link, or quote I want to share…
This one is courtesy of my sister. She saw it on the bumper of a car when she was in traffic and called me to tell me about it:
Blessed are those who are schooled at home for they will never eat cafeteria food.
Adjunctmom's Blog 
Hi! I am stopping by from The Homeschool Mother’s Journal! I LOVE your funny quote from the bumper sticker! It sounds like your kids are doing really well and learning a lot. Those reading “Aha!” moments are priceless! We use a different reading and spelling program with letter tiles, but I also got it magnetized this week and now I have a special board for it. I am SO excited to be able to put it away and get it out easily each day! My son has always been a lot more “resistant” toward school than my daughter, but at 5 yrs. old I think more than 1.5 to 2 hours of “school” would have been a stretch for us, too! I wonder what curriculum you are using with him and if you could simplify it? Or have you tried creating a schedule with play breaks? Even when I want to work straight through and get things accomplished, by kiddos still need breaks and they are 8 and 10. Oh and my son has always done better with incentives or simple rewards.