Figuring It Out

I need to run a marathon.  Right now.  I have so much pent up internal stress and I need it to leave my body.  Running a marathon seems like it would help.

Why the stress?

Homeschooling, year four, day two.

I'm trying something new.  Peter loves it so far.  Me, it's so not my style and it's stressing me out.

Last year, I made a schedule.  From 8:00 to 8:30 we read the Bible and work on math facts, 8:30 to 9:00 we do phonics...  Structured, planned, and much peace dwelt within me.

This year, I made a Bingo card with all the subjects/assignments we need to complete for the week.  Peter can pick and choose as he likes, with the goal of getting it all done by Friday.  He really likes this freedom to choose.  I can't stand it.  We're going to have to modify.  I need to be prepared, to know what's coming.

I'd been reading about Interest-Led Learning, see.  Let the child's interest guide your schooling and he'll love school and learn so much!  Uh-uh.  Can't do it.  He's just going to have to fit into a scheduled box and hate learning.

My big problem last year was that Peter takes forever to accomplish anything.  His speed is slow and distracted and mine is quick and efficient.  See the conflict?  So I had to schedule him to give him an end time.  We have to move on now.  But then I'm on him the whole time trying to get him to focus and work.  Not a great learning environment.

In my Sunday School class we've been talking about our kids and who they are.  I should embrace Peter's slowness, so says Linda Anderson of Mom to Mom.  Yes I should.  But it's going to drive me nuts.

So, I thought I'd try to embrace Peter and the slow pace in which he moves with this Bingo card schedule.  Oh, we only read the Bible, did our History lesson, and learned some Spanish today?  Great.  What about the grammar, spelling, math, science, reading, art, and music that we didn't touch?  Later, right?  But the organized, structured, detail-minded brain in me is screaming, "When??  What if he never chooses grammar?  Who would?  What if this one week's worth of work takes a month??"  Some would say I seriously need to detox from being a public school teacher. 

So, that's where I am.  A recovering sick person, launching a program that is everything opposite of who I am, and Paul's invited four families over tonight.  My house is a homeschooling mess and the lawn is in desperate need of a mow.

Peter just now walked in and said, "This Bingo schedule is working out, Mom.  Don't you think?"

"Um, you think so?"

"Yeah, don't you think it's working out?"  Forcing me to give him an answer.

"Uh, I'm thinking about it.  It may need some tweaking.  T-W-E-A-K-I-N-G."

Ok, I didn't really spell out 'tweaking'.  That's a You've Got Mail quote.  They were having lunch at a little table at a sidewalk cafe, trying to figure out the meaning of the last email she got...

Look at that.  I just took myself to a lovely, dreamy place and I feel so much better.

I'll keep you posted.  I've got some tweaking to do.  And some Manicotti Cordon Bleu to eat.


P.S. I would like to say that I am quite impressed with myself because, as I mentioned at the top, this is an internal stress.  I don't think Peter has a clue.  Which is good.  But we've got to find a mix of he and I before this internalness spews and makes a mess of things.