I started out with a blog entry yesterday, but it got eaten by cyber land so I am starting over which might be just as well. Today is one of those days where I am trying to get motivated and just not having any luck. This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have 2 boys to home school, major deadlines for two different projects and a phone call to make........What I really want to do is go back to bed, watch a movie and enjoy watching someone else's life for a while........ Since I can't do that I am taking it all out here on you unsuspecting people who happen to come across this blog.
So backing up, yep, you heard me right. I am home schooling the boys! I will not go into what spurred this, it would take to long and it isn't pretty, but suffice to say it was the only option I felt that was viable. The wonderful schools we had last year were not so wonderful by the end of year. M is merrily in the same school, with the same class and the same best friends. She is thrilled to get out of the house and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that almost everyone we know has boys....... she likes to get away from all the testosterone for a few hours a day. And really what girl could blame her?! We just hope she keeps that attitude until she gets married to a nice Jewish boy one day.... :) As for the boys, they like being home schooled and it was their choice. That is how great school was.... on some days I let them do home work in pajamas, but most days we expect them to get dressed. We have a variety of work books from various sources, do hands on science projects and we try to get out do things away from home too. We will be joining the home school group as well. I have seen a flourishing in some areas that we did not before and that is fantastic, other areas we would like to get a tutor in for some areas, like Hebrew, for obvious reasons. Like raising kids in general it is terrifying, rewarding, challenging, aggravating and stunning when their little lights come on and they get it! What has surprised me is the amount of support I get from people who think it is great! Except the Ministry of Education here in Beitar who is having a fit. They have all kinds of stereo typical reasons why this is a very bad idea and we have our second meeting with them this week. However, while we do have to have permission to home school, it comes from Jerusalem from the head Ministry and I have no doubt that we will get permission, at least I think, at least I am pretty sure and if I don't think about it too much I almost don't have panic attacks on it. I have a really good friend who home schooled all her kids and she is my grounding force and has assured me I am fine. Let's hope so. We have the second meeting for that on Wed. here. One of the big things will be getting organized enough to get the kids out and about so they are socialized with kids their own age still.
As I said, M is doing great, I suspect she really needs more stimulation educationally, and I want to do that at home, but she seems to teach herself when she is in the mood, so I have to be content with that until I can get a real schedule for her setup between other deadlines. The good thing about having her in school is that I can see what Y should know and it makes me realize that he is way ahead of that in some areas. But then M is way ahead of her class in some areas too. All the kids are learning to read English, S is coming along in the Hebrew and Y has some Hebrew too which I need to encourage with him more. M has a sense of Hebrew but they have not been focusing on that in her class, but they will this year.
As for me I seem to wear a lot of hats these days, writer, head of household, cleaning lady, bureaucracy manager, therapist to friends, mommy, teacher and so on. It is rewarding but challenging and doesn't always leave so much time for me. I keep telling people I want to get paid to do what I am doing which is running herd on 4 people, but no one seems to be able to sponsor that, so I am in the process of trying to create something that works with me. I love to write, but I think I need something that will let me use my creative outlet more, because I can't seem to create enough hours at my main job due to lack of time and creativity. I love the job, but writing about hardware is getting to be challenging. I am hoping that working with E promoting her art work will really take off and pay off, but in the meantime, how to pay the bills...... the question that is on everyone's mind. Too bad know one will hire me for my vast knowledge on dinosaurs (OK it is not that vast, but the kids are teaching me) or maybe my extensive knowledge on penguins. OK again not really that much, but it is our new favorite animal and my kids love the movie March of the Penguins. It was an Imax release that came out a few years ago and is narrated by Morgan Freeman, who I love. My kids now know the difference between PBS, National Geographic and BBC, because these are most of the movies we watch in our house. However, when it comes to Star Wars they get a little confused. Something they only know about from their cousins. S will be getting little Star Wars men for his b-day and we will see what comes of it.
D has his own projects going so maybe we will gain something there as well. I would elaborate, but I am not sure I could past the words electronic something, radio blah, blah and something about wires......... I am so knowledgeable about what he does.... In the meantime it gives him something fun to play with so yeah!
In wrap up, because I do need to educate my kids today, we are looking forward to a full and exciting month, including a wedding, friends from Oregon coming in for said wedding and a visit from my in-laws. They were supposed be here now, but unfortunately due to lack of seating on the plane they will be arriving later. Apparently the airlines have not adopted the Israeli bus system form of seating which is, when there are no seats left to sit in you simply sit on the floor. Too bad. We really miss them. But we will see them soon, G-d Willing!
Ok that is it from sunny Israel! Thank you G-d, I don't live on the East Coast! Hope all is well by you.
1 comment:
Mazal tov for homeschooling! :) We're the lone homeschoolers in Savannah, but we've managed really, really well there anyway. There's a lot of great cyber support, and of course many really wonderful homeschooling families in E"Y. Enjoy the journey. We think it's fantastic on so many levels. :)
Hugs, Kerith
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