Undated

One piece of advice that I've gleaned this summer that may prove to be valuable was from a homeschool mom of many, some of whom are already out of the house testing their wings. She said that she didn't make dated school plans. I've thought about it and this may be the key for me to stay on track.
In the past I've made lesson plans with a specific day in mind. I've made plans for a couple of weeks ahead and feel great about our ability to complete those plans. Then life happens and I feel like throwing out all the plans if things don't happen like I think they were going to!
I'm trying to make plans that are undated. For example, I printed a blocked off sheet, like a calendar without any dates. I wrote "Day 1" in the first block and jotted notes for lesson plans for that day. I kept going until I filled a month's worth of days. When I use the plans I will date that block. I'm giving myself permission this summer to let life happen and not stress if there are a few days between Day 1 and Day 2. When we start a full schedule this month or next I will be less lenient about that.

Looking Back

I took out my planner and school calendar from last year. I was pleased to find that we had 138 days of formal schooling. That was an accomplishment because of the two major disruptors that happened: Hurricane Ike and the 9th month of my pregnancy (because mommy was severely unmotivated!). That is also not to mention all the other stuff that happens around here like chipping in to help with keeping house, helping dad build bunk beds and the Lego loft, cooking with mom as well as endless discussions about how babies grow and what a baby will be like when he gets here.
After the Hurricane we didn't have power for two weeks, but that didn't stop the learning when the tadpoles we'd been caring for sprouted legs. After the storm we also headed north for a much needed visit to family and friends. We tried to do school on the road and at Grandma's but there were just too many distractions, along with the fact that morning sickness kicked in full force.

I'd thought all along that a year-round schedule would work for us and we are still trying that out, trying to rotate through a few subjects a week, but getting math in every day. There are the obligatory endless hours in a pool and a much more lax bedtime schedule. Besides, what would summer be like without a good book to enjoy in a cool house when the temperatures outside are soaring? Charlie has loved the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Now he's reading Eragon by Chris Paolini. We're reading Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls aloud together. Kaity and I are going to start Missouri Bound, A little house chapter book, by Roger Lea MacBride along with the picture books that she and I will be reading to Jeremiah.
I've been reading a new favorite author, Karen Hancock. She writes Christian fantasy and Christian scifi books. I recommend all of her books, even those I have yet to devour. Earlier in May I also devoured The Circle series by Ted Dekker. I love fiction that has analogy to our Christian walk.

I'm making reading lists for the coming school year when we kick it in gear in the fall. What are some favorites of your kids? Do you have a reluctant reader like Kaity is? What motivates them to read?