Good Morning Amy,
I love your excitement about homeschooling it is precious and contagious! You are going to do a fabuloug job of homeschooling Lily!
First I want to make a suggestion, be very careful with the book The Well Trained Mind. I read that book the first year we home-educated and it sent me into a tizzy! Susan Wise Bauer has very high standards that are almost undoable, in my humble opinion. Although it is a great guide, it isn't that helpful in the day to day of home-educating.
Instead I would suggest reading your Bible, praying and writing in a prayer journal what the Lord speaks to your heart. I know this sounds weird at first, but He is who keeps me grounded in the day-to-day of our home-education. When things get shaky I am able to be firmly established in the facts that He is the one that called us to home-educate our daughters. He then speaks the nuggets of Truth that He has given me during these times spent with His Word.
Next I'd think through your day-to-day routine of your home...when do the other children nap? I'd write out a simple routine that could incorporate 15 minute learning times for Lily. You will be amazed how six-eight, consistent, 15 minute learning times will reap a lot of knowledge. Plus by keeping it to 15 minutes will keep her from getting burnt out on learning and instead ignite her desire to become a life-long learner and Christ follower.
These methods are called the Charlotte Mason Method...this is one of my favorite website:
Sonya Shaffer is a homeschooling moms with lots of great wisdom and fabulous ideas to share.
To answer your questions more specifically:
Did you ever have doubt that you would not be able to teach you kids how to read???
Well...yes and no...I have a terrible sin condition called "pride" and with Elizabeth my stubborn pride wouldn't ever let me doubt I couldn't do it. Plus, Elizabeth is a bright child and she quickly picked up on it. Grace on the other hand I've had a few moments where I've been a little shaky in my ability to teach her. She doesn't like to sit with the books open and read for as long. She loves to play and does a great job doing this quietly. So I tend to be busy with the other girls while she gets to play. This year that is going to be different for her, because she is no longer 4 turning 5 in the middle of the school year. She is 5 turning 6 in the middle of the school year.
I will show you a couple of tools that I used/use for teaching reading. Sherry F. is the best resource for teaching reading though. But there are great curriculum out there to teach reading.
When people at my job ask me "how do you know what, when and how to teach your children?" I reassure them that there are entrepreneurs out there that will sell you the best curriculum to teach your children. The hard part is narrowing down the choices into what is best for you. A lot of prayer is involved and sometimes you will pick something that just doesn't work. Then the choice is ditch it and move on or keep with it until the end of the year. That will just depend on the individual situation of that curriculum.
I assure you as long as you have the desire from the Lord and drive to do it, home-educating Lily will not ruin her in anyway!
Did you feel worried at all that public schools would be able to do a better job than you could???
Jennifer was in the public school for grades k-4th, and I know from that experience that there is no way they can do a better job. The basic premise for public school is generalized group learning. The majority of classes that are taken to be a school teacher is in classroom management and teaching large groups. In your home you can give Lily the individualized education that best meets her learning style/needs and personality. You know your child better and will lovingly give her the best education.
Plus again I struggle with the sin of pride and that makes it totally not even a thought in my brain that they could do a better job. With time and experience those doubts will subside also.
Another question, what do moms do with other siblings while the older homeschool students are partaking in the activities that have been planned for the group for the day???
Do you mean the activities that the support group is participating in? That depends a lot on the activity. With the Little Keeper's you could bring the other children along to participate. If we go on a field trip, like to the Fire station then all the children could come with us too. I organizing Civic Center educational play tickets for the group this year and one of the plays is the Very Hungry Caterpillar. That would be fine to bring all of the children to as well. A lot of home-educating families have many children...so bringing a few extra children with you and Lily to the activities will be no problem. Some moms have the grandparents watch the other siblings while the older homeschool student is involved in the activity as well.
You are going to be the greatest homeschooling mom for Lily and Reed.
Keep the questions coming!
Hugs,
Linda
Posted by Anonymous
Posted by 
Posted by 
Posted by 
