Routine

Finally...FINALLY, we have a minimalist routine around here. We've been needing one for a long time, and I'm finally figuring out how to make it happen. It isn't rocket science, people, but I need some organization. It isn't because Mane isn't learning anything. It's that I feel scattered and have a hard time planning if there's no routine. I've resisted routine up to this point, but now that it's here, it's helping.

So, right away after breakfast we get dressed and do a half hour of some kind of reading work. Then there's math, with some cool new blocks. And then we read from Story of the World or some book associated with whatever we're covering in Story of the World. In the afternoon I read aloud to Mane in the sunroom, and I'm working on adding one more session of reading work on the days when we have time.

And, by the way, reading is HAPPENING. I mean, it's still slow, but I'm definitely seeing progress. Mane is reading some of the Berenstain Bears early readers now, which are a huge step up from the Bob Books.

We haven't rowed any books for the last month, and I'm planning to add that back into the afternoons. History seemed to take the place of rowing for a while because, in doing history, we've also covered a fair amount of science, geography, social studies, etc... I'm not sure what book we'll be rowing next, but I think it won't be until after the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. During the race, we'll be reading books and doing activities related to the race somehow while following some mushers and watching the video clips.

Today I sat at a coffee shop with Mane and the math blocks and we practiced some subtraction. Then we went over counting by 2's again and talked about odd and even numbers. I had her practice adding doubles in her head. And I had her practice counting backwards from various starting points. I'm starting to see how her brain works on these things, and about all I can say is that she's a lot different from me, and I'm learning a whole lot, too.

While driving in the car we had a long talk about what credit cards are and how they work. Last week, while in the car, we ended up talking about how it works to pay interest on things. Mango has been helping Mane count money, too. So, I guess we're having some little economics lessons on the side.

Tonight Mane played math bingo with me, and then she hung out in the living room listening to Little House in the Big Woods on i-tunes. She's now got quite a collection of her own books and stories on i-tunes. It keeps her entertained for hours when she's allowed to select her own stuff.

And, yes, I'm still working on getting some more Spanish and art into the routine. I don't know why homeschoolers ever claim to have more time than anyone else. ;)