Reflections on our first week

So, the first week of lessons has come to an end, and I think it would be a good idea to reflect on how things went. Overall it was a good week. My older son (the now fourth grader) got right back into the swing of lessons. My nephew and niece both work very well. It was a little difficult sometimes when everyone needed help or instruction, and noone is doing the same thing.

I would say the biggest problem we encountered was the four year old. He simply refused to do any work or lessons. Each day when I said, "Ok guys it's time to get started," he would tell me what he was going to do. "Mom-mom, I only going to do my calendar today." "Mom-mom, I not do colors now." What am I supposed to do about that? (Seriously, it's not a rhetorical question. I would love suggestions.) So far I just haven't fought it. I don't have time, all the other kids need my time. I let him do puzzles or play with his moon sand, and when a bigger kid has free time they read him stories and can sometimes coax him into singing his ABC's or identifying numbers for them.

I've already encountered my first unplanned interruption, when my husband decided to stay home from work on Friday and take all the boys (my nephew included) camping at Smith Mountain Lake. There went anything I had planned for Friday. The good thing is I hadn't planned anything for Monday because it is a holiday, but we are just going to have to get some work done. My husband will be home, but maybe instead of being a distraction to the boys, he can help me work with each of them individually.

Our homeschool co-op met for the first time this week. We are meeting at a new church, so there were a few snags. But overall I think it went well. I was a little concerned because my older son was moving up a level and his reading skills are not on grade level, but he loved all of his classes. I am teaching Virginia Studies, U.S. Geography, and Spelling. My classes went well, I will have to tweak some things now that I've gotten a feel for the students' abilities and prior knowledge.

I'm excited about next week. We will be going to the Luray Zoo with our field trip group. And, we are starting our Astronomy Unit Study. Now if I can just get the little one to cooperate, it will be wonderful.