(no subject)

[mommydama]

Migraine.

I haven't had one in several months, so I don't know what to make of it. Except that I haven't had any caffeine in a few days. That might do it. I can't even begin to describe how badly I would like a coke zero. I will never forgive you, Amy, for introducing me to that stuff! :P (I'm kidding)

Everyone seems to be nominally healthy today, if a bit congested.

I revisited my "plan" for homeschooling in the next year, and I'm not feeling satisfied with it. Anyone have any opinions on the Tanglewood curriculum. I really like the Charlotte Mason approach and the combo they've put together, especially for history, literature, and science, really appeals to me, I just don't know if I like the phonics and math ideas. I don't know anything about Spectrum stuff. Anyone used a lot of Tanglewood ideas? If the History Portfolio junior doesn't come out in time for us, I do love the Tanglewood Book of Centuries. That should be easy enough to follow and very easy to individualize for both girls.

I can't decide if I want to send Luci to preschool again next year or not. Enrollment is next week. I need to talk to Brad about it, I guess. I don't think he has a strong opinion about it one way or another, but he could help me sort my thoughts. If she goes, she will be the only one who goes for two years. If she doesn't go, we can use that money for activities. I want to get the girls in year round swim lessons and music lessons. I just don't know...I suppose I should make a list of the pros and cons.

I've got the migraine under control with Excedrine at the moment, but it is lurking there, I can feel it in the waves of nausea every once in awhile and the tight pressure just under the surface. I shouldn't be on the computer. That makes it worse. But, I'm terribly afraid I'm addicted. I need to get out more...

Comments

[marliah.livejournal.com]

ahhhh the stresses of being a momma. Those are hard decisions to make. *hugs* I'm sure whatever you do will serve them well :) you're a great momma. :)

[altarflame.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I guess with Luci, you just have to stop and think - is it something that really helps her when she isn't there? Like, you know, does she melt down less and seem happier since she has that as a sort of "outlet"? If so, that would be pretty damned tempting - between the break it affords you while she's gone, to focus on the other girls, and that it makes her easier when she's there. Or, is it something that you think is holding her back in some way or makes the day more overwhelming for her? Which would make me think, time to pull her out.

I would also probably be considering - after two years of preschool, will she be too used to going everyday to just pull her out and keep her home? Or will that be perfect, because this is just something helping through the kinks as she gets old enough to be rational....

I wonder about this stuff for Isaac. I mean, I really believe homeschool is best in almost any situation when kids are young. But I also feel like I have strong "justification" for homeschooling Ananda, because she is so far ahead she'd be bored silly otherwise, and with Aaron because he would fall behind and hate himself in a school setting with SID. I wonder if there will be anything in particular about Isaac that would sort of actively preclude a formal school setting - I already know he would be less vulnerable to peer pressure or mean teachers or anything like that, than the others are.


I've never even HEARD of Tanglewood or Spectrum! You've delved deeper than me at this point, which is impressive ;)

[marliah.livejournal.com]

I feel that way about my youngest, the older two are special needs and I know they need the indivdualization they can only get here. But my little guy I just don't know about yet.


mind if I add you to my friends? I think we have alot in common. I'm a natural food/product junkie, and we homeschool and all that other hippie stuff :p

I have seen you post in a few friends journals and I think we would get along well :)

[mommydama.livejournal.com]

That is exactly where I am with it. She doesn't seem to need the "outlet" desperately, in fact, she doesn't LOVE it. She doesn't HATE it, but she often says she wishes her sisters were in her class, that she misses them, that she doesn't want to go. I do, however, appreciate the break and the focus on the other two girls it gives me. I also think seeing other authority figures in action is very good for her. She sees that rules are rules everywhere, not just at home, and not just with mommmy and daddy. I think, if we are truly dealing with what I suspect we are dealing with, that is a very important lesson for her to learn. And talking to her teachers is giving me a much needed new perspective on her. The short term distance allows me to think more rationally about the more difficult moments. So far her teachers think she is "so funny, sweet, a bit of a loner". She has only challenged them twice, in very typically Luci ways. Once she completely ignored repeated directions to clean up and join circle time, and once she started making a repetitive silly noise during a story time and wouldn't stop after several reminders. Both times she was "removed" from the group in a time out type thing. They don't call it that, but that is what it is. And it didn't upset her a bit, apparently. She hasn't repeated either behavior since then.

The biggest pro is purely selfish: the break for me. The cons probably do outway that one.

I am a homeschooling research JUNKIE!! You should look at the Tanglewood stuff. It isn't a boxed curriculum, it is choose your own, build your own kind of thing with ideas from a Charlotte Mason/gently classical approach. I have feeling you would like it.

[mommydama.livejournal.com]

Link to Tanglewood:
http://www.tanglewoodeducation.com/index.htm

[moobabe.livejournal.com]

Oh, Tanglewood looks nice! If they had a K program, I would definitely be looking at it more closely, and I'm going to keep it in mind for later.