Learning doesn't stop during Christmas.

Yes, we are still doing schoolwork.  Most of the learning going on is of the "fun", unplanned variety - a lesson on who Saint Nicholas was, and how this person became known as Santa Claus. 

A video online about the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.  And a discussion about what it must have been like for Francis Scott Key, straining to see the Stars and Stripes, when the British were determined to bomb it into oblivion.  The meaning of patriotism, and what it means to be an American.  That's something we're extra-sensitive on - my dad is a retired Army colonel with 42 years of service, my brother is serving in Iraq, my boyfriend is a former sheriff's deputy, and my ex-husband is a Mexican immigrant (the proud holder of a green card). 

We've watched Nato track Santa - what a wonderful geography lesson every year!  That leads into discussing time zones, and watching the map to see where Santa is, and what it's like in those countries.  It's also lead to a discussion about what government is supposed to do, versus all the extra stuff it's taking on. 

Mercedes is still writing her business plan for her party planning business.  I'm going to make her write it over - with correct spelling this time! 

Jared got a bunch of Legos from my boyfriend, Tim, and he's been spending all day every day either riding his new bike (even in the snow) or working on his Lego project.  He also got a box of K'nex, and has been building with them also.

History lessons have started up again (I've been lazy). 

Jared's learning his two-times tables, and is proud as can be that he got it right off the bat. 

Mercedes is struggling a bit with spelling and got a little confused when we started adding thousands instead of just hundreds - the extra column scared her a bit, but she's getting it. 

Bedtime story lately has been a chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  

I'm so proud to see the kids growing and learning. 

What? Me, Organized?

I was telling a friend of mine about my day.  Honestly, I don't think I do that much more than any other mom - I just keep my kids close to me while I do it.  I get up the same time as everyone else (7ish - 8ish), get the kids ready for the day, give them their lessons, work, and keep my house (reasonably) clean. 

Her reaction was, "Wow, you must be so organized!"

Well, I am, in my work life.  My desk is clean and organized - it has to be for me to keep my clients happy. 

My organization starts the night before.  I have a rule that I don't go to bed until the house is cleaned up - not perfect, but tidied.  I want the bathroom where the kids take their baths cleaned, laundry in the hampers, the kitchen cleaned from dinner, the dining room table cleared, and the living room picked up.  It takes me about 20 minutes to get all this done. 

Then I decide what clothes I want to wear the next day, and make sure they're in good repair. 

Everything I need for the next day, I set on my desk or place by the front door.  Do I know where my keys and purse are?

I spend a little time pampering myself, meditating, catching up on my leisure reading, and I'm ready for bed. 

All of a sudden, the next morning is easy!

Thanks to FlyLady, who taught me the way. 

Homeschooling as a Single, Working Mother

I wondered if I would be able to continue homeschooling when I divorced my husband and needed to go back to work.  However, where there's a will, there's a way, and I continue to homeschool even through a heavy work schedule.

I'm blessed to be able to make my own schedule.  Generally, we do school in the mornings, when the kids are fresh - but I've also done it in the evening after work.  I've also asked my daughter, Krista, who is grown, to help me with the daily routine subjects, like making sure the kids read and do math daily, and then I review their work at the end of the day.  Some days, we do part in the morning and the rest in the evening. 

We do history and writing together, and I look for every opportunity to get the kids to write.  Shopping lists, journals, book reports, family newsletter.  They see me blogging and writing in my journal frequently.  Krista likes to write song lyrics, which has inspired Mercedes to write poetry as well.

I can plan a day off midweek (when everyone else is in school) to take the kids to a museum or the zoo. 

My oldest, Krista, works as my nanny.  The younger kids are very self sufficient - they've been taught to fix their own breakfast (even bacon and eggs), clean up after themselves, do the laundry - valuable life skills that will serve them well.  And I teach them routines.  They get up in the morning, get dressed to shoes, have breakfast, and start on their schoolwork without too much prodding from me. 

And that is a very big deal.

What times work best for your homeschool?

I'm up late with my kids again, helping them get their work done.  We're still figuring out how to get all the things done that need to be done before bedtime every day.  The kids have discovered the art of procrastination.  And since I'm a single, homeschooling, working mother, I'm busy from sunrise to sunrise. 

I know a lot of parents do school first thing in the morning.  That's never worked well for us - partly because I'm NOT a morning person, and don't see the need to force that on my kids. 

So we're experimenting with evening school.  My thought was that they'd be physically tired at the end of the day and ready for some mental work. 

As long as the TV is off, this seems to work OK.  So far. 

I'm hoping it will be like my routine of leaving the house clean before bed.  And maybe they'll get tired of doing all the work at night and choose to do more in the morning.  The goal is simply to get them to get their work done before they are allowed to go to bed.

Bedtimes in the Summer

I don't know quite what to do in the summer time.  The kids want to play until dark most days - and I really want to let them.  But then they're tired and they don't want to get up in the mornings.  Or they do get up at first light and I'm not ready to get up yet.

Winter is so much easier, because it is dark when it's bedtime, but I'd rather let them play and get worn out.