Wednesday, July 13, 2011

curriculum stresses me out, so there




I love being neat and organized.

I adore cute and clutter free school rooms.  The kind (I will have someday!  I’m thinking in the year two thousand and HEAVEN!? Winking smile) with charming finger-painted poster laced walls and word wall boarders (that totally shout out that two year old kid is going to Harvard someday!). 

I long to be confident and whipped into shape.

But

somehow the process of getting from here 
(curriculum choices for next year still up in the air; last year’s school work still not filed away; laundry a mile high because I’ve wasted the past two weeks frozen in front of the computer trying to get my act together; and I’m not sure how much longer my family can survive on cereal and toast)
to there
(confident that my little Einsteins have a whole year’s worth of perfectly suited for them curriculum ready to fill their shiny & bright & perfectly organized workboxes;  last year’s school work neatly portfolio-ed with every pertinent thing carefully placed so that it’s readily available at a finger tip’s notice; the laundry room is not only empty but even the undies are ironed; and not only is my family eating dinner around the table nightly but the kids are cooking it and we’re having who can quote the Gettysburg Address offs to boot! Smile
totally overwhelms me.  Stresses me out!  Like, for real! 

See, I’m the mom who just positively freezes when it comes to picking out a curriculum.  Good grief…I can’t even shop at BJs because there are too many choices!  And there the only thing on the line is – dinner.    

I’m the mom who fills her virtual shopping cart with curriculum choices for next year.  But never checks out.  Or at least not until the very last minute.  And then fights the urge to call and cancel the order immediately after.  Because…well…maybe I want my kid to go to Harvard too?!  And I just know I should have gone with that other program!  And now he’s totally going to community college instead.   

I’m the mom who has a panic attack at the idea of anything involving paint.  Fingered or otherwise!  Because my life is full enough without an extra mess to clean!  You have seen my mile high laundry pile, right?!  No?  Just follow Trevy’s I-must-touch-everything fingerprints and you’ll find it.  And it totally won’t offend me if you put the next load in.     

I’m the mom who hopes to God that her child doesn’t ask her a difficult question in front of other people.  And for the sake of all that is Holy…if you must…it had better not have anything to do with numbers!  My palms are sweating just thinking about it.  And it’s not because I’m not clever.  I have a college degree.  But let’s face it, a full Life has a way of cramming out the academics!  Especially when one is sitting on the bleachers surrounded by other parents who are all trying to figure out why exactly you do keep your kids at home!  That’s a great time to play the “have you seen the size of Trevy’s brain surgery scar” card!  Smile  

Yep.  I’m just a regular mom.  Making it through each day by the skin of His Grace and a dab of humor. 

And in spite of all the areas I need improvement (and trust me, the list goes ooooooooon) I love my kids fiercely.  My desire is for them to be successful…not just academically…but wholly.  From the inside out.  Ya know.  That has to mean something.  Something.  With that in mind…and with no further ado…I present you my curriculum choices for the school year of 2011-2012.   

**********

Math
5th Grader – Saxon 5/4 (and possibly creeping into 6/5)
1st Grader – Abeka

English
5th Grader – ACE
1st Grader – Abeka

History
5th Grader – ACE
1st Grader – Abeka

** you’re seeing the pattern here right **

Spelling/Poetry
5th Grader – ACE
1st Grader – Abeka

Science
1st Grader – Abeka (and possibly joining for Astronomy)

Geography
5th Grader – Map Skills (his ACE history also covers geography)
1st Grader – Abeka

Fine Arts
5th Grader – Piano & SANS art classes as available
1st Grader – the same

PE
5th Grader – Fallball & Basketball
1st Grader – Soccer if I can convince her, Swimming maybe…but quite possibly the Wii Smile

Health

Worldview


And that’s how we’re planning to roll this year…

(and for the record…I feel MUCH better with that all off my imperfect chest)

To see what other’s are up to visit the Let’s Talk Curriculum linky over at Training Children Up for Christ.  Smile 

…danielle

9 comments:

  1. This looks great! Last year I was so stressed out thinking about it all I ended up buying one of those all in one curriculum's just to make it easier on myself... That didn;t really work out so well, but I did it again anyway, we just switched the method of learning... Hopefully the fall will go better. I'm optimistic anyway!

    Stopping into visit you from Training Children up for Christ.

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  2. For all of that stressing, it looks like you've got a good plan all mapped out! ;-) Have a great year!

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  3. I am WITH you! I am stressed and I already have chosen what we will use! BUt what if it's the wrong choice?? Ack! We are using The World of Adventure curriculum for the first time and we will supplement with other things, if necessary. Try and relax and I will do the same.:) Lori

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  4. Heather...I visited your blog and LOVE what you've got planned too!

    Erin...thanks, luv!

    Lori...I can promise to try. :) btw...just noticed today your blog is perfect is boring...love it. I used to always say there's just something charming about imperfection. ;)

    ...danielle

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  5. I am only halfway through my school year here and I just wish I could get re-excited about all the stuff I bought last year. I don't have the money to buy more. How do we get excited about that curriculum again is what I really want to know.

    Best wishes
    Jen in Oz

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  6. I think my hiney is starting to grow into the chair because of all the time I have spent on the computer this summer. Thanks for posting the curriculum linky - maybe that will motivate to get my plans all on one page!

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  7. Oh my goodness, I was laughing out loud and now my family REALLY thinks I've gone off the deep end... Anyways, I am right there with you. I have made and re-made my list for our 3 kids so many times, I think I am losing it. So now, I have finally gone to the shopping carts and started actually ordering some items. No turning back now! In all seriousness though, I think most homeschool moms struggle with this thought of "what if it's not a good fit?" or "What if I didn't chose the right one?" But you know what? Think about all the kids in school- there is no choice for them. Someone way out there somewhere chooses the curriculum every so often, and ALL the kids use it. So I am sure, whatever we all decide for our kids as far as curriculum, it will all work out. Thanks for sharing and making me smile...

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  8. You're too funny, but I think we all feel that way sometimes.

    My son is using A Beka math 1st grade this year. I think he will like it.

    Thanks for linking up with me. This has been really fun!

    Oh, I am now following you as well.

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  9. We love Saxon math and Apologia science as well. Thankfully I have our curriculum purchased, but now need to organize it all...and plan. :O)

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