A Post from the Past

Annika's birthday is tomorrow so I decided to go through my family blog to see what I've written in the past about her. I don't like to repeat my birthday posts. Anyway, I found this post that I wrote in January 2007. At the time Annika was about 18 months, Sam 4 and Harry 6. I had just pulled Harry out of a really bad kindergarten situation. I thought it was kind of interesting to read 4 1/2 years later.

 a new old normal

I've been thinking lately about this whole homeschooling idea. It seems to me that we are in something of a good rhythm. Things aren't perfect--the kids still fight, lessons don't go as I'd like them to, and the house is something of a mess, but I like what is happening.

Before Harry went to preschool we did little lessons or crafts every day. They weren't necessarily fancy or elaborate, but we did something every single day. We also had time to go to the park and play with friends, even though we did go to the occasional baby class or had a doctor appointment that messed with the schedule. All in all we had a slow pace of life that allowed me to do what I dreamed of and wanted to do with our kids.

Then Harry started going to preschool and there was stress. And driving. First the stress--is this the right preschool, what should he be doing in preschool; all of those questions that I continually asked myself. Once I found a preschool that I loved, I had to volunteer twice a month and drive all of the way over to it. It was fine--I felt like I was doing the best thing for Harry and I really did love the preschool. I also don't regret taking him there, he made a good friend he still plays with and I think it was a lot of fun for him. I also loved his teacher.

I also don't regret that he didn't finish out the year. It was stressful to have Annika with me and try to find a place for Sam to go when I volunteered. So when he decided not to go anymore last January, that was fine.

We tried to get into a good rhythm last year when we were "homeschooling," but it never worked. We had a hard time getting back to the crafts and little lessons he and I used to like. I also felt like I was continually shoving Sam to the side. (I couldn't do the same with Annika since she was nursing still and demanded to be fed!) I kept trying to get Harry to sit down so he could learn something and keep up with this or that curriculum . Yes, I know he was barely 5 and if I could go back, that is something I would change.

So it was off to kindergarten for Harry. He loved parts of it, but was continually stressed. I kept trying to do little lessons with him when he got home or before he went in, but more often than not we concentrated on being on time! It just didn't work for all of the reasons I've already mentioned.

Now, we're back. We do little lessons on things he needs to know. We read a lot, we draw and paint and play outside. We play math games and occasionally do work in his math book. We pull Sam in and teach him the words we are reading. I still nurse Annika so she's right in the thick of things.

Mostly we live. We do all of the things that got lost and made me feel good about being with my children. I'm a much better Mom now. So when you visit, expect a mess, children everywhere (it's amazing how three can suddenly feel like 300), and a happy family. Back to what worked so well, just bigger.