I can’t stick to our proposed science & history schedule so we’re reworking things. I had written them up with just October off for maternity leave and it’s not happening. We’re still struggling to even stick to a schedule right now with me having to take it easy and spending what little energy I have to tackle pre-baby projects. We are managing to get our language and math done each week and we’re fitting in a few specials (piano, art, history) but it’s really hit or miss.

I have my schedule still written up but I just removed the months associated with it. I may be ready to start again in November, I may not be ready to start again until January. Considering the amount of history Christopher’s studying on his own with his current greek fascination I’m confident he’s getting plenty of history work covered. We need to be better about science but again, the kids are so young that I don’t really expect significant science to really stick when they are 8 and 7 years old. We do read Magic School Bus books and we check out lots of Bill Nye science videos and the house is filled with science books. They’re getting something. And we’ve got time.

That’s what I keep telling myself. We have time. The kids are advancing, they are learning and exploring and creative and playful and thoughtful. If we don’t cover some concept now then we’ll pick it up next year or the year after. How much do we remember from our elementary academics anyway?? That’s why we repeat it again in junior high and again in high school and again in college.

Along those lines, I’m giving up on the idea of kindergarden for Bennett this semester. He’s doing his speech preschool 2x a week, PE 2x a week, swimming 1x a week and possibly starting feeding therapy. He’s reading silently to himself, he’s drawing and writing letters, he’s counting and doing basic math. I don’t want to push the Saxon 1 (first grade math) or the SWR (spelling) and handwriting just yet. Maybe in January when he’s six I’ll feel more up to it and he’ll feel more ready but I feel like for now we need to focus on his speech and deal with the patching and therapy and make sure he’s got enjoying reading. I may do some handwriting practice with him since he is already writing… but I don’t think he’s ready for much sit down book work and I know I am not ready!

So we’re backing way off. We’ll continue our language & math with the kids and as much of our specials as I can manage but we’re going to be taking it easy for the rest of this calendar year. I think it will help us be ready to start in January.