Today marks a brand new week. I'm quite excited about a number of things. First of all, the reason I've been MIA is that we took a vacation. Yeah, I know I said I wanted to push it until March but I couldn't help myself. It was a desire too strong and so we left a week ago to fulfill that craving. As well, I found myself falling behind on everything from housework to lessons to blogging. I had no motivation for anything at all. Just as Charlotte Mason advised that parents/teachers should note when a child's mind is growing weary and respond by quickly changing to a different activity, so it goes for all humans. I needed to cast everything (work, homeschool, blogging, chores) aside and do something vastly different. And I did.
This was probably the most relaxed I was on a trip as I usually want to map out everything (my leanings toward a Type A personality!) and yet I somehow forced myself to just go with the flow. Mind you, each day I had numerous moments of frustration ("We don't have a plan!!") but I would quickly tell myself "It's ok!" and just let it go. Habits are strong! We didn't visit all the "educational" places as we usually do. We took a trolley tour. We visited Fort Matanzas National Monument. We hung out on St. George Street (that's a given!) and we shopped and visited our favorite coffee shop there. I truly did just go with the flow. Not a thought to educational value or schedules.
On Thursday night, we returned home, washed all the clothing and left again to Orlando on Friday morning. My daughter had won a party at a local dueling piano bar there. Free cover; 2 free drinks and free appetizer buffet for up to 100 guests! So we checked into a hotel there and left the kids with my parents. Most of my local family attended, (my sister, my cousin with whom I was raised as a sister, my cousins once-removed, my daughters, their husbands, etc) and it was a blast! Yesterday, I picked up the children and came home. I was completely exhausted... as of last Wednesday! So now I needed a vacation from the vacation. I went to bed early and slept late. I think I'm good to go now. I finally feel refreshed and ready to tackle regular life.
The end of February marks the end of our lessons for the year. Our term break is scheduled for March 1-31 but I'm not sure we'll take it. I really do feel refreshed and as we were rather "slacking" in February, I think we can move forward with lessons. What we didn't do in February will be done in March. On April 2, we'll begin our new school year.
For now, I'm giving myself a crash course in converting a Charlotte Mason education to a high school transcript. This will be Alexis' 9th grade year. High school will officially begin and records should be kept. This should be far easier than creating a transcript from unschooling. What a headache that can be!
I've also been contacted by an author who wants his book reviewed. I plan to begin reading that this week and get the review written. The book is by the founder of Wild Earth's Children, an organization that provides hands-on experiences in nature to reconnect people of all ages to the earth.
I have a lot planned and feel like I have the energy to tackle it now.
Have you ever had to just cast everything aside, unexpectedly, for the sake of resting your mind, body and spirit?
Happy Homeschooling!
8 comments:
Sounds like everything you did was just what you needed, even though you didn't now you needed some of it. We are taking a vacation soon, and I'm feeling overwhelmed with the preparations as well as thinking about how far behind I will be when I get back. I hope it will end up being the rest that I need. Austin is going into 9th grade next year, and I haven't a clue what we are doing. I guess that has been stressing me out, too. Anxiety has overtaken me!
I'm sorry that anxiety is getting to you. No one knows the feeling better! I could help you with the high school stuff if you don't mind bending a little towards CM (sorry.. it's what I know!) and/or help you with the transcript stuff.
Thanks Michelle. We won't be starting high school until the fall, but I'll definitely keep it in mind. :)
Thanks Michelle. We won't be starting high school until the fall, but I'll definitely keep it in mind. :)
I'm happy I stumbled upon this blog and am looking forward to following your posts on ninth grade! My daughter is in seventh this year and I am realizing the need for more structure in her lessons and record keeping, but am a little unsure how to go about it.
It can be rather daunting, can't it? But trust me.. it's not all that hard. The most difficult part I've ever experienced was trying to convert unschooling into an actual transcript. Oh my!
The key to smooth high schooling is keeping those records/transcripts! And it's not all that difficult.
Glad you feel rested! Just had to tell you how much I enjoyed the videos in the sidebar...too funny:) I also appreciate your passion for dispelling the stereotypes associated with homeschoolers!
Glad you enjoyed the videos. They're great, aren't they? Yes, I finally feel "on track". Glad to see my house back in order *lol* (You have no idea how much I was hatin' on the housework!)
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