LIVE A LIFE OF NO REGRETS!!: Curriculum Choices

Quote from "Stepping Heavenward" by Mrs. E. Prentiss

"She says I shall now have one mouth more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music and drawing.

Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other.

Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which dwells is worthy of all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other dear darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, wondrously blest!"

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Curriculum Choices

I began homeschooling 20+ years ago with 100 Easy Lessons and Learning at Home by Ann Ward. I did that for two years. I loved it. At a seminar I was introduced to KONOS and had a great couple of years with friends using KONOS. Since then, it seems I have tried or checked out just about everything! The only thing that didn't work for me is a "packaged curriculum". I always liked the classical approach to homeschooling the best. Using lots of real books and life to learn from. My goal with my kiddos in homeschooling is to raise them to love Jesus foremost and to have a love of learning. If you love to learn and have the "tools" to know how, you are prepared for whatever life may through your way. Honestly, I still try to do too much wanting to cover everything before they leave home and have to stand back sometimes to regroup. If I'm not careful, we're schooling from sun up to sun down. Of course, that includes throwing in a few chores, cooking with me, etc. but still it's easy for me to get into the "I've got to cover everything" rut and forget that I'm training them to learn. They will have the tools to learn whatever I or they miss. Phew, that's a load off of my mind. Most of our home school years has been with Ambleside Online, Apologia Science and Saxon Math. However, I discovered Classical Conversations a few years ago and have loved it. Saxon Math and Apologia are still a part of our school. We also read a lot of books. I have an adult daughter in college going into nursing. My second child graduates this year and plans to begin college in the fall. It goes way too fast. Young mama, I know you hear that all the time, but let me tell you it's so true. They grow up way too fast. Even through the hard days of trying to home school while hugging a potty (pregnant), changing 100 diapers when soo many were little at once, catching up on laundry mountain and so many other chores, trying to survive on one full-time income, I thank the Lord so much that He led me to be with my precious children. Because for all those hard days, there were so many more good days filled with laughter, singing, games, and togetherness. Most importantly, it's worth it all if the Lord would find it to His great pleasure to use my small efforts to call my children, that He so graciously blessed us with, to Himself. To Him be all the honor and glory forever!!