First day of school

Many of my friends' children headed off to school today, and my Facebook feed was flooded with photos of kids up early, in their new uniforms, off to start Primary school or another year in kindy. We too, started school, but of a different sort. For the past few years, Junior J has resisted being sent to school, and has requested for "Mama school" (the reasons would probably warrant a post on its own). So for 2014, we'll be homeschooling, and I'll be trying to do more activities with the boys. I'm hoping to be more structured compared to the past few years where we really just went with the flow, and we'll see where this homeschooling thing takes us.

I don't have everything planned out as of yet (a lil hard since Junior J can be really particular about what he's interested in learning/doing!), but we will be starting off slow: weekly outings to the zoo with a co-op, a lil math, lots of reading (as usual), and more science (since that is what Junior J is interested in currently), and our usual dabbles in art and craft. Chinese is going to be the major hurdle that we must clear!

So today, I tried getting Junior J interested in some of the Math Start books, but he was tired in the afternoon and wasn't co-operative. But during baby's nap in the evening, the older boys and I sat down and managed to have a quiet hour just playing with some math manipulatives and beads. Lil J wasn't too well but he loved playing with these little bear counters, and we were sorting them by size and identifying colours.

Junior J on the other hand, worked on his addition and subtraction and writing on a lil doodle board, using the bears to help him to count (note to self: for math, always include manipulatives!). I enjoyed that hour, with all that peace and quiet, and no fights!

Now I have to figure out how to squeeze in some learning each day, plus get those meals on the table on time. Whatever the case, its going to be baby steps for them, and for Mama too!