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It's the last day of August

August 31, 2003

And i spent all of my alone time yesterday designing the world's most perfect record-keeping system for homeschooling and housework. Now I need only design the binder that will contain them and do all of the printing out and (possibly) laminating.

Someone. please. stop me.

I have also ordered all of our supplies for the fall, including some used books, software, and art supplies. I think I might get C a tricycle (the kind with the big handle coming off the back) and M a bicycle with training wheels. I just need to do some shopping around at the various thrift stores and garage sales and other places until I find them. I feel like a horrible mom because I have never really pushed bike-riding on M, but C is now old enough, I think, to kind of ride along with us, so it'll be easier once it gets cool enough to do daily walks in the morning.

Daily walks which, by the way, are on my elaborate and perfect homeschooling schedule. Is anyone else neurotic enough to want to see this plan? Let me know. I can even send you the word files if you feel like you might use them.

Seriously, somone needs to stop me. I have an hour by hour breakdown of each day from 8 until 3. It's pretty scary, particularly since I will be the only one who wants to follow that schedule. I promise I will try not to get all freaked out at the kids if they don't want to play along. Remind me of this promise, will you?

I decided that I definitely will not be getting the Oak Meadow curriculum at this time. I am going to continue to search for it used throughout the year, though. It feels better to be able to get some used bicycles, art supplies, and all that other stuff for less than the curriculum would have cost. Perhaps some other year I will be able to afford it...but not this year.

I love the change of seasons, and I'm ashamed to say it's mostly because I love the supplies that I have decided must come with the change of seasons. I don't do much shopping around these parts...I try to do it all just 4 times a year. Four times a year I change up our schedule, and four times a year I get new supplies to help facilitate this change. I don't go wild with the spending, but I do get the necessary items all at once. Homeschooling doesn't HAVE to be expensive, but I think it's good to have new fun stuff in the house for the kids to use. Even if it's new used fun stuff. And learning to ride a bike IS pretty important, right?

I try to tell myself it's all about renewal, and that's how it fits into the change of seasons, but I also know that it's all part of my addiction to consuming. Hopefully it's not terribly damaging to the children that the change of seasons have gone commercial.

I can't believe I'm so neurotic about money that I'm asking the readers of my blog to validate my spending for me. Hahahaha.

Posted at August 31, 2003 8:52 AM

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Comments

While th epowers that be insists on such a schedule for "my kids" -all 112 of 'em - I would make one anyway even if I was in an unschooling environment instead of the exact opposite. Even if M & C don't always go with your plan, at least you'll be able to fall back on it. E was homeschooled with little to no schedule of any kind, and when he went on to high school/college it showed! A little structure ain't a bad thing!

Posted by: shannon at August 31, 2003 11:11 AM

funny. stop dru, stop!!

okay, i tried.

i'm a mix of structure and non-structure. i seem to have a good balance at the moment... at least in regards to ordering my meetings and tasks. of course the rest of my life is a mess.

i'm starting to believe in the phenomena of the male midlife crisis. or maybe it's depression. but it sucks either way. but damn, all my shit is neatly organized in iCal. ;-)

Posted by: denny at August 31, 2003 2:54 PM

I just purchased some used 6th grade Oak Meadow. My son thought the 6th grade material looked more interesting than 5th, so we're going with that.

I'd love to see your schedule. I'm having a hard time with that right now because of my kids' age difference. My son said he'd do a circle time where we could light a candle, talk about our day and even learn a little German. But he's 10 and she's 2. so we'll see how that goes.

Have you read anything about Charlotte Mason? Maybe nature journals would be cool for your kids. We're going to try them this year.

I don't think it's materialistic to get art supplies or even bikes. People learn by doing stuff- and kids go through art supplies pretty quickly.

Posted by: ivyblogs at August 31, 2003 5:22 PM

give it to me mama! i wanna see your 8-3!

Posted by: carvegirl at August 31, 2003 6:49 PM

our little schedule's been a nice thing to fall back on. we don't stick to it every day, but when we're having a week where it seems like everything is falling to the wayside it's nice to wake up with a firm resolve and just go, "oh, it's wednesday! we've got two hours this morning to go on a fun little field trip..."

it's easy for me to become hopelessly disorganized so i like having the schedule around.

Posted by: pink at September 1, 2003 7:53 AM