switching out of summer mode

We spent an amazing amount of time at the cottage this summer. That was the goal. We got a week in May, two in June, four in July and two in August = 9 weeks! It was just what we needed. I arranged childcare at the cottage when possible and I took 3 weekends off between July and August.
I didn't stop school. I took small breaks. I decreased our work load drastically. I knew that it was important especially for my oldest to have the 'routine' still to his days and I didn't want to have September be a month of 'review' and 'relearning' all that was forgotten over the summer. I also didn't want the giant battle of transitioning from a life of play to a life of school and then play.

Well, I have spent many months preparing for what I wanted our 2014/2015 school year to look. I am wanting it to be a year of 'family' and growing with God.

Today, we started with our new schedule.
We of course slept in ;) In all the years of parenting my oldest son, he has been an early riser. The month of August he slowly switched from being a 7:15am riser (like clockwork all year) to an 8am risier. I am NOT complaining, it just may not work for my goal of having the 'major' part of school done by noon.
Even with us getting up late, I was still able to have the day flow as I had hoped and planned.
Our school day started with family devotions. (the few minutes before the kids were called to join me at the table, I spent time in prayer)
For family devotions we are starting with 'Leading Little Ones to God' and my goal is to do a prayer journal with the kids that we will keep track of prayer requests and all pray in round robin style.
I added a worship song or hymn (maybe I will add more as CO accepts this change) that we sing together. It will usually be in you tube format to add the visual stimulation to capture their attention more. T LOVES to sing, so he is very happy for this addition.

I also added our family Bible verse (the one I have selected for the year is Matt 27:37-39) that we recite together and then we recite our family mission statement & pledge/rules together. I figure the more we say it, the more it will sink in ;)

Also this year, a change is that instead of listing all the work that is expected for the day and the kids choosing what order they do them, there is a checklist that they do in order. Not an easy transition for CO but once he accepted it, it went well. The boys check off things as they go. This enables me to teach reading, etc. at a different time and the other child is busy working on more independent work. Last year they both would work on the same subject and I felt there was useful time wasted waiting for me to finish with the other child.

The schedule isn't perfect and I will continue to tweak it as time goes.

Also added is a star chart. Each boy can earn up to 6 stars a day (mostly for attitude and hard work). In a 5 week period, if they have earned 100 stars they earn something. For this cycle the reward is a date with Mom. I will evaluate if the goal stays the same or changes as the year progresses.

Also B is now 3, and is doing some seat work. She has always bugged to join the big boys and in the past I would throw different activities at her to occupy her. I am now going to do a letter of the week type activity with her. It is mostly art related, slightly phonics related but the goal is just to have her learn letter sounds and names. She comes and goes through school time as she wants. I made up a binder of 'A' pages for her to colour, cut and paste, etc. When she choose to jump up and join us the first time she did her little weather and feelings page as well as her 'B is for B____' page (both of these pages are dry erase so she can do them over and over again). While the boys were busy working I took her over to her ABC poster (I have it on the back of the front door and with it I have the leapfrog A and magnetic A's) and told her that we were going to learn 'A' today. We sang the alphabet while following along with the poster and then took her over to work on an 'A' colouring page. The second time she joined us, I gave her a colouring page related to the story that I was reading to the boys. The third time both the boys were busy working so I read to her an 'alligator' story and looked on a page for the letter 'A'. Then while I made lunch she watched a short you tube clip from Sesame Street that was about the letter 'A'. The rest of her morning she spent floating around (cleaning as she went) between puzzles, play kitchen, etc. She found her alligator pull toy and when I saw her with it I encouraged her to take him over to the poster and show it his letter and sing the ABC song to it.

Including B in school turned out better than I had hoped. I was worried that she would be more of a distraction. She tried in the beginning to join us at the table with her toys (which just end up distracting the boys) so I reminded her that toys stay away from the school table and that she is free to play with them away from the table. This will encourage her to learn that the table is for school (which is still fun). She is able to feel more included which is something she is wanting.

As the boys get used to the new format, I am sure that they will pick up the pace. The amount of time it took for them to tackle 'calendar' time nearly drove me off a cliff. In the end, I realized that one boy didn't actually return to Math after our group time and so he will have to finish that up after quiet time before outside play.

I need to increase my organization. I will have to add menus again to our days. Having the food more organized will very much help. My goal is also to start my day with God and my Bible. I have yet to master keeping this in my day EVERY day. It has always been sporadic. I am also wanting the boys to start this habit early so by the end of this school year, I want them also doing this. It is more difficult as they aren't actually able to read the 'Bible' really yet, but they can still spend this time with their Bibles, looking through them and in prayer.

In two weeks will be back to schooling only four days a week because we take Tuesdays off for Bible Study. The boys will be expected to do a couple of independent things before we walk out the door, and since the group has a 'home school' class they will be learning in that environment.

(now a quick glimpse of a small fraction of our summer)

this is two blocks from our house!
there is wonderful trail that runs along it for walking, cycling and we even
take our kayaks onto the water

he was VERY happy to complete is Math book

we found this turtle when walking in the woods at the cottage

messy faces...we eat outside all our meals at the cottage

yum yum

one of the two parks

our 'oasis' of a cottage....it is small and peaceful!

tuckered out (yes I know her shoulder straps are too high, I have fixed it)

our sandbox in the backyard

fun with older cousins

dancing for Canada Day

making stilts

helping bath the 'healthiest' baby on the campground

crayfishing

crayfishing with friends!