A gentler pace this week; I acknowledged to myself that perhaps I am burntout, I don’t know but I certainly know that I am tired. I rang a friend up and shocked her by announcing, “I am tired of homeschooling.” Don’t misunderstand I’m not tired of the lifestyle, I’m not tired of having my children around me daily, simply put I am tired of teaching. As my very patient friend reminded me I have been homeschooling for ten years, and teachers have a three month, long service leave at ten years. (Thanks Rebecca for your wonderful, invaluable support, listening to me moan and whine daily, you are a friend indeed{{}})

Enthusiasm and interest are zero. Unit studies have gone past the stage of overwhelming me, they do not even capture my interest. I am so over planning, I’m not doing any. I find myself bookmarking blog entries on SIMPLE IS BEST themes.

So to that end our new plan is; each day the children are to do:
Faith Their choices. Chiara enjoys Fr Laux, Dominic saints stories, Xavier reads all sorts of things, he read a Church History book this week, Malachi Bible Stories and Mariah virtue stories.
Maths, no problems there thank goodness. Just working their way through their online programs or Singapore Maths for the younger ones.
Writing a typed page per day of whatever they like, edited and corrected for the older three, dictation passage for the younger ones.
Reading on whatever they are interested in. This is totally directed by their interest and inclinations. This is where I have given up control totally and it is such a lifting of a burden.
Surprisingly Xavier, Malachi and Chiara have chosen to continue with history. Australian for the boys, Victorian for Chiara. Malachi and I are reading Our Sunburnt Country.
I have asked them to continue with Science, but to be honest the older children aren’t interested so I may have to get creative there. Xavier, Malachi and Mariah are keen to learn and observe birds, I’m slowly mustering up interest, I did manage to get the related books out of the shipping container (another HUGE depressor not having our books out)
Geography is mainly map knowledge, I’m encouraging them to play games online. We had LOTS of fun today having a geography quiz, they what more games like that. I might buy a Geo Bee book. I’ve been checking out their site.
They are also reading various other books, listed on the sidebars.

In a bid to enthuse myself I did make a purchase of Australian Book Traveler an Australian FIAR study, ‘touring’ Australia. I can manage picture books I’m actually getting enthused about this, its my passion anyway, Australian books.

So did the children complete their basic requirements? Some did, certainly the younger two. The older boys did write and maths daily at least. Its a start and I’m really alright with this. In fact I am enjoying the gentle pace and I can see the children really engaging with their work

Sarah I hope I have answered so you understand, ask again for clarification if I haven’t.

A few thought to ponder. (courtesy of Rebecca:)

“Self-education is the only possible education; the rest is mere veneer laid on the surface of a child’s nature” -Charlotte Mason.-

“All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education” – Sir Walter Scott-

“The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.” – John Lubbock-

“Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion has no hold on the mind. Therefore do not use compulsion, but let early education be a sort of amusement; you will then be better able to discover the child’s natural bent.” -Plato-