This picture pretty much shows what I have been spending my free time reading lately. I think I have just about requested every homeschool curriculum catalog I could find! This photo is missing a few, since I am still waiting to receive them in the mail. Are any of you homeschool mamas out there like me? Do you tend to drive yourself just a tad bit crazy over choosing which curriculum is the right fit for your children?
I think the main reason I am putting so much pressure on myself is because my daughter will be entering into Kindergarten this year and, well, that is a big milestone in a little ones life. I don't want to mess it up for her. Between reading and searching for the right curriculum to keep her engaged and wanting to learn, to looking up co-op information and other activities to get her involved with throughout the fall/winter, I am overwhelming myself...probably more than need be. And, on top of it all, I would really like to have everything chosen, ordered, and received, before the babys' arrival in July, so that I can start planning out our days and gathering up all the extra supplies we will need to start the year off right!
Yes, it's been a bit stressful, but at the same time, also a lot of fun! If you remember, my hubby used to have the attitude of "whatever you decide, I will support 100%", which was nice, but not really what I needed. I wanted his input and advice to help make this decision all the more easier. Thankfully, this year, he is all on board to read through each and every magazine with me , listen to me ramble on and on about why I like this particular curriculum over the other and so on, and really have an active role in which books and lessons we choose to use to teach our daughter with. And let me tell you, that is such a HUGE stress reliever. And I need all the relief I can get!!
Through the experience thus far, I have already seen how it has brought us a bit closer as a family unit. Learning together as a family. Planning educational, fun, activites to do together, and having it all centered around Christ and our beliefs as a family! That is the most important part to both my husband and myself and the main reason why we chose to homeschool in the first place!
So, no matter what curriculum I choose, what "extra-curricular" activities we may or may not be a part of, it is all going to work out just wonderfully. Emma, and essentially Caleb and our newest blessing as well, are not going to "fail" because I decided to teach them at home. For I am following God's plan for their lives and mine. And if He is in the plan, well then how can it fail?
I will continue to lift in prayer my concerns over what to teach and I know God will place the right curriculum on my heart and I will wonder why I ever stressed over it in the first place! We can be so silly, can we not?
I hope this little "pep-talk" that I just gave to myself here encourages some of you who may also be stressing over which road to take with homeschooling. It is not an easy decision and the choices are endless, but God placed the option on your hearts for a reason, a reason so important it must not be ignored. Give it all to Him and He will work all the details out for you! He will take away the stress and replace it with the joys of exactly why He wants you to homeschool to begin with - the precious lives of your children!
With Christ...you cannot fail!
_______________________________________________________________________
If you have any questions or would simply like me to pray for you as you make your homeschooling decision, please leave me a comment below, or you can email me at amysbooksnyarn@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!
And, could I ask for prayers as well? Prayers that I will not stress and allow God to work in my life as we make this decision. Plus, that I won't worry about how it is all going to work out once we add a newborn to the mix! Thank you so much sweet friends!
Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow. ~ Psalm 5:8
Through the experience thus far, I have already seen how it has brought us a bit closer as a family unit. Learning together as a family. Planning educational, fun, activites to do together, and having it all centered around Christ and our beliefs as a family! That is the most important part to both my husband and myself and the main reason why we chose to homeschool in the first place!
So, no matter what curriculum I choose, what "extra-curricular" activities we may or may not be a part of, it is all going to work out just wonderfully. Emma, and essentially Caleb and our newest blessing as well, are not going to "fail" because I decided to teach them at home. For I am following God's plan for their lives and mine. And if He is in the plan, well then how can it fail?
I will continue to lift in prayer my concerns over what to teach and I know God will place the right curriculum on my heart and I will wonder why I ever stressed over it in the first place! We can be so silly, can we not?
I hope this little "pep-talk" that I just gave to myself here encourages some of you who may also be stressing over which road to take with homeschooling. It is not an easy decision and the choices are endless, but God placed the option on your hearts for a reason, a reason so important it must not be ignored. Give it all to Him and He will work all the details out for you! He will take away the stress and replace it with the joys of exactly why He wants you to homeschool to begin with - the precious lives of your children!
With Christ...you cannot fail!
_______________________________________________________________________
If you have any questions or would simply like me to pray for you as you make your homeschooling decision, please leave me a comment below, or you can email me at amysbooksnyarn@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!
And, could I ask for prayers as well? Prayers that I will not stress and allow God to work in my life as we make this decision. Plus, that I won't worry about how it is all going to work out once we add a newborn to the mix! Thank you so much sweet friends!
::
Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow. ~ Psalm 5:8
Thank you for this post! I'm also researching (stressing about) curriculum for my daughter who will be a kindergartner. I look forward to hearing what you choose.
ReplyDeleteI have a K girl myself here :-) I think I started researching homeschool curriculums for her when she was about 18 months. Yeah, I might be a little overbearing as a parent :-) We ended up going with Sonlight Core A (history/geography/reading/science), Handwriting without tears, Singapore Early Bird Math. We have started a little bit of it - I plan to school year round so we can take breaks when we need to - and it has been going well. I want to take it a little slower with her, and allow her to have enough time to really delve into subjects that she finds interesting. Looking forward to hearing more about your journey!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the "pep-talk"! Your blog has been such a blessing.
ReplyDelete-Mindy
AMEN to that!
ReplyDeleteI do believe that God guides as we try to follow His will for us. He will guide you to the right things to teach your children at the right time when those things need to be taught. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteI so can relate! As soon as we had decided to homeschool our children in April of 2011 I started researching curriculum choices. I went crazy and spent $1000 on my 2 and 4 year old, who haven' t even officially started school yet. I am a curriculum junkie! Luckily I found Heart of Dakota which I will more than likely use as my main curriculum along with some eclectic choices from other providers. My daughter is using the CLE program Learning to Read and loves it so I may continue to use CLE as well. Good luck finding the right curriculum for your family!
ReplyDeleteI will have a fourth grader, second grader, and a kindergartner next year, and after homeschooling these few years, I am still changing things up a lot! I just finished reading Educating the Whole-Hearted Child and loved it! I also use Sonlight for some of my subjects and really enjoy it! I can't wait to hear what you choose. Every family is different. Every child is different. Being able to equip each child with the education she needs as an individual is the great thing about homeschooling! Thanks for sharing, and I can't wait to hear more!
ReplyDeleteYou are going to do great! The most important thing is that you and your husband are both on the same page - and that you know why you want to homeschool! the rest will totally fall into place :) praying for you!!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to read that you've been able to really share this experience with your husband... that time is precious, even though hard as your searching for what is best for your family. I'm praying for you, and so thankful that I'm not the only one that had a stash of catalogs to read through. :)
ReplyDeleteJessica
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ReplyDelete