Settling

Our stuff is all moved, though not yet unpacked. There are many completed projects and more to be done, some empty boxes and many more to be sorted, organized and unpacked. But I am thinking about organizing school. We've had about three weeks now of a very light schedule of school work as I keep trying to bring order to the mess of this very unorganized move. We've been able to do the basics and I'm ready for the fun stuff- digging in deeper to history, getting our hands on some science, getting creative with art and thinking ahead by making homemade gifts as well as getting the kids back on track to handling more responsibility.
I'm thinking of revisiting workboxes, tweaking it a bit as these kids keep getting older! They really are working more independently. I want to foster that; it really builds their confidence. On Thursday, Charles woke early and completed his school before any one else was awake. I was so surprised! I'm trying not to let it bother me too much that his motivator was a computer game. At least he was motivated; now I'm thinking we can build on that to help him learn more internal motivators, like the satisfaction of a job well done.

I'm also thinking of tot school for the busy little man in our lives. He may need his own workboxes and activities to build fine motor skill, beginning critical thinking skills and all the other things his busy mind is learning from watching us and from playing. I won't get ultra-structured in his case, but having activities to pull out when he needs something to do will be so helpful.
Tot School ideas that sound so fun are found here.

Hopefully coming soon: some before and after pics of some completed house projects. There are so many incomplete ones, but it will be good to remember what we've accomplished!