With Mark back at work, I was a mamma flying solo with five kids this week. It was a bumpy ride, but we survived! We ended up easing back into homeschooling because we needed the structure. I like to consider ourselves pretty flexible, but the boys really struggled with all the free time and oh man, the bickering. Getting school accomplished was a way better alternative!
A few homeschool notes from week 11:
- It was S week. We made snakes.
- I’m not convinced that the phonics curriculum we’re using is working for D. I need to do a little more research, but I’m considering switching to either Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons or Phonics Pathways. Anyone have a preference or recommendation?
- M’s favorite spelling game of the week: Scrabble Addition. Math and spelling practice in one!
- We are almost halfway through Thomas and the Dragon Queen and I am so impressed with the life lessons sprinkled throughout. I have really enjoyed the conversations it has created about courage, adversity and trying our best.
One of my October goals is to get back into an exercise routine by walking again. Not only will it help me lose the 35 pounds I gained this pregnancy, I also believe exercise is really great for my mental health and helps with the “baby blues” too. I started off strong this week, walking Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. I hope to get at least a mile in today, so I’ll have a weekly grand total of 4.75 miles. Feels good.
Last but not least, a little update on my favorite two-week-old: TJ has been sleeping 3-4 hour stretches at night, which is amazing. Who knows if it will last, but I’ll take it while I can! He also had his first bath and actually liked it. Sophie hated baths for almost an entire year and screamed every time, so this is a very welcome change! He is just a doll baby and every one of us is so smitten with him. We are so blessed.
Have a great weekend, friends!
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons was amazing. It took a minimal amount of time each day, and boys did amazing with it. I highly, highly recommend it! I loved that there was ZERO lesson planning on my part. I literally could just sit and read the script to them, and it worked wonders!
We are using Phonics Pathways right now and I love it! I wish I had used it when I first started teaching Reed. Asher wanted to do it with us so I let him, thinking he'd get bored quickly, but he has actually picked it up, too!
Pretty sure "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" was the book my mom used for me and my siblings! 🙂 I've never heard of Thomas and the Dragon Queen, but it sounds pretty spectacular – I hope the illustrations are as fantastic in real life as they are in my imagination!
xox
giedre
I've heard so many good things about "Teach you child to read in 100 easy lessons." My oldest is still a little young to start but when it's time that's what I plan on using. Would love to hear what you decide on and how it goes!