The "1st" day of Kindergarten

While most traditional schools have a "1st" day of school, we have been easing our way into school but plan to go full speed ahead Wednesday August 29th.  About 4 weeks ago, I started giving Reece handwriting assignments.  Since she learned to write in preschool, this is basically a lot of practice in writing before she gets to her assignments this year.  She has been doing well with this routine except that it is taking a little longer than I expected.  She feels she needs help with writing but I know she knows it and it's more of a matter of attention.  This is one subject/assignment where I thought I could just have it laid out and she would just do it on her own.  It's been getting better over the weeks but still needs some work.  Having our "school room" set up, has also helped - not as many distractions.

This week I added reading and bible.  This consists of her reading a small book every day of the week, and me doing some read-alouds with her.  Some are from a nursery rhyme book and another is a chapter book. Right now we are reading Box Car Children - something I was required to read in 5th grade.  We are very much enjoying that.  She also listens to "Sing the Word from A to Z" focusing on a verse each week.  This week was "All have Sinned".  We are also reading a bible story each day.  Our Math curriculum doesn't start until September but she has been doing some things with pattern blocks and doing her calendar stuff each day - We did this all summer.  And then course she has her chores to do.  So far all of that has been taking about an hour and we start the moment she gets out of bed.  We have been getting everything done including chores, dress and fed by 8:30.  Next Wednesday we will start the other part of math, science, history, and geography so it will take a little longer.  I'd like to keep the routine the way we have now and that way when Brody goes off to preschool at 9, Reece and I can continue with math, science, geography, and history when he is gone.  Those are the harder subjects I think and will require more concentration.  Brody usually reads with us so that works out well.

Things have been going a lot smoother than I thought so far.  I really hope it continues.  She will start dance next Thursday (the 30th) and then Awana the week after.  We are also going to try and make MOMs groups every other Friday morning and we'll be watching a little girl a couple of days a week.

I saw the school bus come to the end of our street and wait (even though I told the school she would not be attending).  I got all teary eyed when I saw it there and then leave.  There are a couple of reasons for this.  1st...I was happy that it wasn't actually picking her up and that she will at least  have another year home with me.  I am glad to be her teacher this year!  But there was still another part of me that was sad she was not going.  When I THINK of homeschooling, I get overwhelmed, but when I am actually DOING it, it feels natural, and I think "what was I worried about".  I also have been thinking about her missing out of the kindergarten experience at an actual school which kind of gets to me.  I told her yesterday that most of her friends actually went to school today.  I asked her if she was sad that she was not going, and she said no that she liked doing school at home better.  Part of me says she doesn't really know what she is missing but the other part of me really liked her answer!

I have some  pictures of our school room and routine.

This is our "to do chart".  These are magnets just like her chore chart.  It has all the subjects we will be doing for the day.  there is another small magnet on the front of them.  When she is done with one, she turns it over to show that it is completed.  I thought this would better show her all we have to do for the day and make her feel accomplished when she is done.  Of course I have some fun ones to add, like field trips, computer time, play doh, etc.

 The ones that are all done...

 Our calendar wall...work in progress.

In her PJs reading her first book.

 Doing some work

 Brody singing along with the bible verse song.