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Well, he's doing fine in 7th grade at the public school, but he's not lovin' it.
He says the kids are fine, the teachers are fine, he has friends on the bus and at lunch, and he knows his way around now, but he wishes he were still doing iQ Academy. His main complaint? He feels like he doesn't have time for anything else.
And it's true. He gets on the bus at 7:40 in the morning and doesn't get off it until 4:25. Two days already I had to pick him up to school because we had to go somewhere--the orthodontist, theater classes. By the time we got home and he practiced his piano and finished his homework, it's been way late for bed.
I do feel sorry for him. And a bit amused at his genuine remorse that he didn't work harder when he had so much more control over his time. He's already promising me that things will be much different if I let him do the virtual school for 8th grade. I will certainly open-enroll him again, to keep the option open. (iQ Academy is becoming eAchieve Academy for next year, incidentally, for anyone who is interested.)
I wonder if he'd be feeling better about things if he didn't feel so overwhelmed by the math. They are doing pre-algebra: linear functions and graphing lines and whatnot. He had just covered some of the same things in iQ Academy, but I don't know if it was making complete sense to him even then, and I was helping him a lot. He's overwhelmed because the other kids are all so fast at their homework, and he feels like he barely knows what's going on. I spent a couple hours with him last night trying to make sure he fully understood everything (at least as much as I understand) and could do it alone. Hopefully that will help.
His comment after the first day was, "It was a LOT of school all day, and not many breaks."
"Better than lots of breaks, and not much school," I responded with a wink. "That's how you've been operating!"
Yeah, I feel a little bad for him. But he needs this struggle.
Speaking of B21,whose birthday was on Saturday--this young man has lost 50 pounds since last May! It's the 50 pounds he put on while he was away at a college last year. Since he's been home, we've been helping make sure that he exercises daily, either biking (10 miles) when the weather is nice, or run-walking on the treadmill (5 miles) when it's been cold. He's also eating a minimum quantity of food--eggs and rice cereal for breakfast, an apple or a banana for lunch, and a quesadilla around 4 to hold him till dinner. No seconds, no dessert, and lots of praise from his family as we've seen the pound drop off, slowly but surely. Best of all, he seems to have his secret compulsive snacking under control, which should help him keep it off.
He just hit a milestone. He now weighs just under 200, which is less than his college-entry weight of 202ish. We have promised him an Xbox 360 if he gets down to 160. Without a job, he has little to no spending money, so he's very motivated to earn his reward this way! I guess it's the silver lining to his unemployment situation.
Things are moving slowly with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. He has a caseworker there who is working on finding him a job, but it's a slow process. He had an interview at an area hospital for a housekeeping position, thanks to a friend who referred him, but he heard back from them recently that they are "pursuing other candidates," which was disappointing. Thank you for your prayers for him!
In educational news, B12 and I visited the public middle school on Friday and liked what we saw. He shadowed a friend for four hours, and he knew what was going on in each class, and he felt good about the teachers and the kids. He's happy about the idea of trying it for the rest of this year.
I still feel ambivalent about sending him there, but we had another rough week in virtual school, when all final tests and projects were due, and it seemed like further confirmation that he needs a change. When I pray about what he needs, I keep seeing a classroom, and
as I shared before, it seems this is the classroom God is leading us toward, for now. He wouldn't start until next Monday, so I don't feel rushed to submit the paperwork, but on the other hand, the virtual school's new semester starts tomorrow, so that's a decision right there, if he doesn't begin.
On the church front, we had a Holy Week planning meeting on Saturday. Woo hooooo! This year, I am going to have a partner to help plan and execute the readings for the week, especially the Passion reading on Palm Sunday, and the readings at Easter Vigil. I am so thankful for the energy and creativity of JT, a percussionist, artist, sound tech and Easter Vigil coordinator extraordinaire, who moved up here from our old church. We just had a house blessing service in their new home (although it was months ago that they arrived--but what better season for a house blessing than Epiphany?). We just installed his wife, LT, on our vestry, and we are sooooo grateful for them!
Also, something is percolating about a youth group for our middle schoolers who are, like dominoes, all about to begin turning 13. The vision and the leadership are not fully formed yet, and it probably won't really get off the ground until next fall, but it's exciting to see God working!
Y'know, I wrote this whole other post that maybe I will publish tomorrow, but what is really on my mind?
Bantam6.
He's having a tough time, missing Mommy while he's at school.
I've never seen my rough-and-tumble, unflappable little boy so sad. Whenever he thinks about school, his little face crumples as he fights to hold back the tears. He stumbles toward me and clings to my waist like he's never done before, though I've dropped him off at dozens of different places and activities in his short lifespan and he's never even looked back. Wherever he goes, he's happy, he's tough, he's energetic--but for the last few days, he's been crying at school, too. This is so unexpected!
It's making me sad too.
I remember being homesick several times--at a sleepover, at my grandparent's house, at church camp--when I was older than six. That terrible anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach, like the bottom had dropped out, was something I was so glad to grow out of. I never wanted to experience it again. It was the worst, most miserable feeling.
I can see on his face that he's feeling exactly that way. There's a black hole deep down in his gut.
It's not a problem with school. He likes school, likes his classes and his teacher, and especially gym, recess, computer and art. And it's not that he's just not ready. He's been one of my quicker students, bright and eager to learn. I know he's going to do well and enjoy it, once he gets over this.
Or is he? Am I doing what is best for him? Homeschooling is an option for him, though it's not for most kids who go through this. Would it be best to keep him home this year? Am I only doing what is best for me?
Oh, the doubting and second-guessing....
This is where I am so glad I for the Holy Spirit inside. He gives me peace, that the decision we made before is still the right decision. It's best for me, for our family...and for him, I have to trust.
So I tell him he's going to be okay. (Don't we all really want to hear those words? "It's going to be okay. You are going to be okay." I've burst into tears of relief, just to hear another human speak those words to me. So I minister them to my boy.)
I tell him Jesus is with him all the time, even when Mommy isn't. I tell him that while he's at school, I am here at home, doing my work, not far away. I tell him I will be here when he gets off the bus. I tell him that if anything really bad happens, they will let him call me on the phone. I lay hands on him and I pray for the sadness to go away. I make sure he goes to bed early.
I want to show him faith and confidence that he can do this. But it's hard. Especially when part of me is sort of happy to be missed so much, touched by his little-boy sweetness. I remember that the tough little boy has always had a cuddly side. It's just that lately, he's gotten too big for my lap.
Well, not really.
Here they are, the gang, waiting for the bus on the first day of school. It's the first time I've ever seen them sitting down when they are together! Two first-graders and a kindergartener, who live next door and across the street. They've spent their summer in the street--wearing out scooters, bikes, rollerblades and soccer balls. It's not uncommon to see deserted scooters or bikes in any of our front yards, while the boys disappear into the back yard to hit the sandbox, swingset or ditch. They play rough-and-tumble; they get into occasional spats and they work it out. They are a good group.
Watching Chicklet and B6 get on the bus wasn't as hard for me as I thought it might be. I'm happy for them! I know they are going to have a good time at school.
And they did love it. They are both motivated to "stay on green" or "keep their smiley face all day." Chicklet was happy to be remembered by kids that she knew from her half-year in first grade. I'll be interested to see how they fare academically, but I'm really not worried about them. They are bright and delightful children, and I know they will have a good year.
The first two days at iQ Academy were easy for Bantam12 in 7th grade--it's old hat for him, since he did this last year--and nerve-wracking for B16, in 10th. Everything took longer than he wanted it to, since it was all new to him, and he's second-guessing his decision already, just sure that this is going to be more time-consuming than his schedule would have been if he had gone to the private school. It was a struggle to stay calm while he was freaking out. My big challenge for the next couple weeks will be to stay calm, supportive and helpful to him until he gets comfortable and confident on his own.
And what did I do on the first two days of school, besides assist the Bantams-at-home? I uncovered the floor of my laundry room and vacuumed up all the sand. (Sand happens when you live near a beach!) I treated stains and laundered various delicate items that I've been saving up. I spent a good hour putting away stray items that had gathered in my laundry room, living room and kitchen counters. I sorted through the dress-up and changed its home. I brainstormed organization projects that I can't wait to start and bought storage drawer thingys at Walmart.
I discovered, deep down, a slew of pent-up organizing and cleaning impulses that I may, finally, have time and energy to act upon!
I think it's going to be a good school year.
Is it time to be blogging about our back-to-school plans?
Feels like it's time...and yet, there's not as much to say as usual. I'm taking a sabbatical from homeschooling.
I've homeschooled for 14 years straight, and since we moved here three years ago, I've been stretched thinner than I ever have before. It was a lot easier to homeschool when all my kids were at home and on the same schedule. But our move came just as our three oldest were embracing teenager-hood with a vengeance and without the safety net of Christian friends and friendships that we had in our old community. The three of them--especially #2 and #3--seemed to require a lot more time and attention than they had previously, with enrollment in a public high school and then the Christian school...and all that came with it: rides to school, help with homework, sports, a social schedule, a social life (a.k.a "drama"), driver's ed, driving, jobs, college visits, graduation, and transitioning to college. So much new stuff in three years.
Not to mention homeschooling the younger three, planting a church, starting a Christian youth theater group in Kenosha, staying on top of laundry and errands, and keeping groceries in the house!
No wonder I am out of steam.
So the plan is for Bantam6 and Chicklet8 to go to the local elementary school for first and third grades next year. I have a good feeling about that school and the adults that I met there during the half-year that Chicklet attended, two years ago. I think they will do well there.
Bantams12 and 16 will both be at home, but enrolled in iQ Academy, a virtual charter school here in WI. I may have to do some nagging, but they will receive instruction, deadlines and grades from iQ Academy teachers, not me. I'm sure they both can handle the workload and the curriculum pretty independently, and I'm looking forward to playing a supportive role, rather than a directive one, with them.
Blondechick18 leaves for TIU (Trinity International University) on Saturday. I expect she'll be high-maintenance for her first few weeks away, but then she'll settle in. She's been so appreciative of her family, lately, especially with the breaking off of her engagement and subsequent complete break-up. She senses God working all things together for good in her life, though, and she is super-excited for college!
B20 will be living at home and hopefully working. He's had two interviews recently, which was encouraging--finally. One didn't work out, and he is hoping to be called back for a second interview at the other place. Prayers appreciated!
So those are the educational plans...which shouldn't be too stressful or demanding on me. It's the extra-curricular activities that are going to fill my time, I suspect. But there are enough of them to fill a separate post!
What's new?Bantam19 just brought home his cap, gown, tassel and a box of graduation announcements, prompting me to call up the place that took his senior pictures for the yearbook and get that order in for wallet-size pics to include in his announcements. This is coming up too fast!Blondechick17 just tried out for the girls' soccer team at her Christian school, knowing that everyone makes it and
You would think that I'd have had more to say about our school year so far, with so many changes! Overall, it's going smoothly, but let's see what else I can think of to add to that.Let's start with Chicklet7, who just started first grade at the local elementary school. Chicklet tells me that her favorite things about school are recess, gym, music, library and computer, sounding pretty much
Thank you, everyone, who's been doing just that, waiting on me to come back from my too-busy-to-blog break!I should do a birthday post today for Miss Chicklet7, whose birthday was on Sunday. But her pictures are on the home computer and I have too much other news anyway. (Next time!)I feel like the last six weeks has been one big educational switch-a-roo after another, and the last week
Well, Blondechick15 is not the only one switching schools this year. Chicklet6.95, who was homeschooled for kindergarten last year, is going to the local elementary school for first grade! I just got her enrolled last week. It's been a mad frenzy of educational decisions around here lately, and I still have to plan what we're doing with the homeschooled kids this year. One at a time...But I
Those two days of waiting-- for the rest of the story--were unintentional on my part, but they are a perfect representation of the two weeks we spent waiting and praying while the kids were away at camp! No cell phones were allowed, just good old-fashioned pencil and paper, and we only received one brief letter from each while they were gone.Blondechick16 and Bantam14 returned from Honey Rock
I've been hinting at some educational rearrangements that might be in store...and now it's time to share a story of how God has worked in some amazing ways!At the beginning of this summer, I met a couple, friends of mutual friends, who told me about their four kids' high school experiences, after being homeschooled through middle school. Their first two went to the public high school that
Our oldest both got their grades last week, from their first semester of high school here, and both did very well. We were especially thrilled with Bantam18's A in Algebra!! Math is his toughest subject.For Blondechick16, it was essentially her first report card ever, and we were all delighted with it! She pointed out to us, "I got better grades than most of my friends who've been in school
I am not always good at figuring out what is going on within my own heart and mind. That's one reason I blog! When I write, I discover what I am thinking and feeling.
Since Schoolhouse Rock ended, I've been feeling kind of empty. What do I focus on, now that it's over? Going back to laundry and homeschooling seems so mundane! I couldn't even think of anything to blog about.
But as I mulled
Blondechick15 has had a rude awakening.
At school the other day, she discovered that she was the only one in her history class whose parents weren't planning to vote for Obama.
She also learned that "BC" on a timeline means not "Before Christ" but "Before Common Era." Everyone else in the class already knew that.
On a poster, as an example of "a firmly-held belief," her English teacher listed
It's back to school (and work) we go!
It sure was a busy weekend though.
It began at noon on Friday with a McDonald's Playland birthday for Chicklet6. Lame, I know. But that was what she told me she wanted long before "birthday coming up" had begun to seep into my brain, and with all my preoccupation with new schools and schooling, the Playland sounded like an easy party to me! We were joined
It was a big day for us all!
Bantam17 had only a partial day, in which they spent a short time in each class. He met all his teachers and said he was most excited about Art and World Literature. He thinks Art will be the hardest class he has this quarter, and I suspect he's right; there are a lot of out-of-class projects that will be coming due quite frequently. He really liked the World Lit
So we visited her new school yesterday.
I was glad that I had clued in the principal to the fact that she wasn't exactly rejoicing over her acceptance. He spent nearly two hours with us, selling Blondechick on the school the whole time. And by the time we left, she was reluctantly willing to admit that it sounded pretty good.
One of her first questions was whether she'd get her own locker. (
We had filled out the forms, paid the fees, walked through her schedule...yet Papa Rooster and I were daily feeling more uneasy about sending our formerly homeschooled, beautiful-but-headstrong daughter off to one of the largest high schools in the state of Wisconsin.
Then in prayer last week, the Lord called to my mind an option that we really had not fully checked out. Before we moved to
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Stone Arch Books,
on 3/6/2008
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A big part of my job at Stone Arch Books is to get reviews and awards for our books. We get excited about reviews that are in magazines, but we REALLY like hearing directly from kids. That’s why we need your help.
Have your students read any books from Stone Arch Books? We would love it if they would write about the books they’ve read. What was their favorite part of the story? Did they like the illustrations? Would they recommend this book to a friend? Why?
After they have written the reviews, they can either email them to me at [email protected] or they can mail them to:
Krista Monyhan
Stone Arch Books
7825 Telegraph Rd.
Bloomington, MN 55438.
Once I get the reviews, I will post them on our website. (We won’t use the students’ names, but will identify their grade and city with their review.)
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I hope this will be a good way to get your students writing after they read books!
--Krista Monyhan
Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Stone Arch Books
http://www.khanacademy.org/
Have you seen this resource? We use it to drill and explain basic concepts for our kids... and my college students who are struggling use it a lot as well.
Hope it's helpful! Blessings, Greg Smith
Thanks, Greg! I'll check it out!
~Jeanne