First Day of School 2014-15

First day comments from the kids:

• unsolicited from the oldest: "This is like the best day of my LIFE! My brain has never felt so good!"


• solicited from the middle: "It was good. It wasn't really great because you know, it's SCHOOL. But it was OK."


• solicited from the youngest: "It was OK."

This year is off to a fine start in my view. I'm still more nervous than years' past because of the work load, but that goes with the ages of my children I suppose. It is also due to teaching my oldest more than in the last few years as we've pulled back from online classes. The two classes she has are pretty tough and the estimated homework for them, combined, is 10.5 hours per week, plus 4 class sessions which equal 6 hours. I've still got to calculate the rest of her schedule and the estimated time it will take so I can see how much, if any, IEW Level B continuation course we'll do. At least I have everything we might need.

(note: rediscovering the Physical Science answer key has been WONDERFUL for my nervousness, it happened after this post was originally penned. That class has been my big 'rub' for this year. Sigh of relief to find something I forgot existed.)

My middle girl is growing by leaps and bounds with being independent. At this point, she and the oldest are quite able to understand how and what needs to be done, and they track their work well. I feel good about where they are.

My youngest is at a huge learning point in life with understanding the dynamics of working ahead of the class and starting online. I want the in-class time to be review at first since his typing skills aren't where they ultimately need to be. We did work on typing this summer, but not until August. With my being gone some the start of this school year, a leg up with the material should be helpful.

Lunch today-sandwiches, which everyone made themselves when they were starving or ready. The school food cycle is always a bit of an adjustment.

Laundry-the new system is going along beautifully with the school year and I'm so glad! It is a terrific feeling to not be stressed about laundry while doing school...and this is just the first day. Think of the joy to come...

I'm eager to share that it is much less stressful using only ONE online school rather than two different ones. I do not know what I was thinking last year and yet somehow my student juggling the two did great. I do not think I'll give my other kids that experience though. It is a little too much for Mom, who did very little.

Simplification can really come when school starts. There just isn't the time for a lot of other stuff.