Fruit from His Spirit

Some definite patterns that have been effective since Fall in our Schooltime routine and schedule has been to set aside a nine hour day for most days. This includes the lunch hour, allows an hour for each of our 5 lesson hours, and for potentially three- 30 minute recesses, three- 15 minute family responsibilities (chores,) and three- 15 minute independent "supplemental" activities. Then we move on to our next hour of lessons. Independent work is incorporated into that hour of lessons and with the goal of increasing focusing skills his work must be complete in order to have recess.

This has reduced stress since I have been incorporating my daughter's kindergarten lessons into our day, seeking to help my son manage his time and improve his focusing skills during pencil & paper time, including the children in some of the housekeeping activities, and working in an opportunity to write more consistently. Unfortunately, I have not been exercising or watching my treat in-take so now that Spring is here I "look forward" to training with my son's running team.

Fruit from His Spirit

Anything healthy and fruitful that come from the scholarly pursuits and practical experiences in our homeschool are true grace gifts directly from the hand of God.
Though I may tend to focus on the joys, the struggles are here. I do "dump" out the hard stuff in it's rawest form. I haven't quite got my arms around patterns for how I will seek reprieve in such cases through writing. Typically it has not been through writing perhaps more verbally when I have a listening ear. :-) Writing for me thus far has often been in the form of reflections, rather than in observations.

Probably because I am convicted with my own heart stuff as much as struggling with the heart stuff of my children. Actually I do write it out though it is more as personal "lamentations" with the Lord and reflect after the fact "out loud" in my writing. Though the time perhaps to begin processing life more consistently through writing is at hand. And, as much through observations as reflections.

After a fun and restful vacation, we have dove back into the school lessons head first! We will take a "siesta" when the grandparents arrive mid-April, but our next vacation will be summer. Forty-eight more days! :-) We were all excited to get back into a routine and thus far are still on schedule for the day. Bible, Piano, Math, Science, Language Arts, History, "Chores," and "Free time" are all on the agenda.