Summer School

Growing up when someone said they were doing summer school I assumed they were dumb.  You know what I am talking about!  You thought the same thing!  Kids did summer school to make sure they passed to next grade!  Then, we moved to college and those who were super motivated did summer school.  You know the people I am talking about....I never fit into either of those categories.  However, for the second summer in a row I find myself doing school!  AND, for the first time I find myself, and my kids, in a position where they will be doing school too.  One of the things I love about homeschooling is the flexibility of your schedule.  I love that we can take family time when needed and focus on other things when needed.  However, this year we had lots of "family" things to tend to.  We have been out of town a lot, taken care of parents and grandparents, and had our fair share of sickness.  Needless to say, I find myself sitting her at the beginning of June hating myself for my kids needing to complete their books still. So, the Skinkle family, minus a few weeks of break time, will be schooling it this summer!  Hopefully this is the first and last time this will happen! 

First Day Back

I have been planning for several weeks now to start back to school today.  In fact, while I was sick I wrote lesson plans for the next three weeks.  (GO ME!) We took most of December off and so I knew that we would have to hit it hard once we started back so that we are not doing school during summer time.  However, due to being sick over the holiday, and sleep cycles being way off track, we got a late start this morning.  I knew I probably should have put off starting til tomorrow, but I was so determined to get school done today.  So, after lunch we sat at the table...and I realized pretty quick it was not going to be fun! You would have seriously thought my kids had not spent a day of their life in school! They had forgotten everything they knew and did not want to relearn it!  BUT I WAS DETERMINED TO FINISH!!  By the end both kids had cried at some point, I am pretty sure a chunk of my hair fell out, the boy told me his arm was going to fall off so he couldn't work anymore, broke 2 pencils, and the girl had fallen out of her chair more than once!  Needless to say, as painful as it was (and it was literally painful at some points).....we had our first day back and I am praying tomorrow is better!