A typical day

When we are not having coop, we stay home and have math, reading, homework etc. I feel as if each of these is a test of perseverance. I just recently added Benjamin to my to do list and the academic day begins with him now. He is learning some sounds and I stare at him and then the ten year old boy across the table who NOW makes comments of disbelief that his little brother doesn't know this stuff. The ten year old boy is just now reaching a better comfort zone with reading. So Benjamin is just beginning and is not quite 6. Will it take till he is ten till he is comfortable reading? Phew. Don't have a panic attack Karin. There is an even older sibling who took till he was nearly eleven to read with any level of confidence. I have spent A LOT of time in my life teaching children to read and it is my most daunting task. I had two kids learn basically from eaves dropping so I suppose that made up for some of the tedium. Benjamin is cutely enthusiastic right now so I will attempt to stay consistent and keep up with him.

After reading lessons with Benjamin, I have a few kids working on brushing up on their spelling skills. This is going well and I am happy to have willing participants. I tried all summer to get to this subject with them and it took till the flu broke out to get them on board. We missed a few weeks of coop due to the length of the bug to get to everyone.

After spelling everyone works on math. The need to persevere and keep after their grading and corrections is definitely a test of my endurance. The baby in the meantime of all of these subjects has been snacking and snoozing all day. I hold, hold, hold her and juggle books and other kids asking questions between it all.

This afternoon we squeezed in a dvd on the Constitution which was less than riveting. I think I took a nap in there somewhere.

I resisted all temptation to do the dishes or do laundry so I could focus on these kids and their subjects. The older kids seemed unable to be too serious about their math by the time we got to it. I do think overall it was a good day. Yesterday was much the same.

Ingrid is oddly asleep and seems to be asleep for the night. Now I don't know what to do first or if I have the energy to do anything. So ends another exciting day on the ranch. Anna and I are watching Dumbo and I would have to say this is a very strange movie. I put this movie on for Anna and Erik when Matthew was a baby thinking I could catch a nap and they both burst into tears shortly after it began. That ended the nap. I guess I would cry too if my mother was taken away from me. Very weird.