Back to School 2017

We had the best first week of school that we've ever had in the entire history of our homeschooling! We had such a great week in fact that I didn't even take a single picture until the second day of the second week.

I did something this year that I haven't done before, at least not successfully.  I planned out our entire year.  I know, I know, that's a recipe for disaster usually.  It's very un-"Teaching from Rest" and Sarah Mackenzie just might have my neck if she found out about my year-long plans.  I'm totally kidding!

What I've learned from years of homeschooling this crew is that I simply don't get the time to plan as we go.  In years past I have planned out two weeks at a time and have told myself that I'm going to use the "extra" week to keep a week ahead in planning.  The reality of it is that I have a husband who has crazy hours at work and just isn't available much to give me time to plan.  It's true that my older kids can help out and I could technically use them to get time to plan, but I use them for more pressing matters, like menu planning or bill paying.

One thing I've become very good at is being okay with it if we get "off" of my plans.  They're my plans to begin with so there's no need to freak out if a couple kids are on Week 1 Day 3, but others are on Week 2 Day 1.  Whenever one of my checklist-loving kids starts getting worked up over being "off" I just say, "Do the next thing."  All will be well, just do the next thing, and then the next after that, and the next after that.  In the end we'll be fine, learning will happen, the world won't come crashing down around us, and if we need to take time to deal with something (stay tuned.....) then we will.  No biggie.