Weekly Wrap-Up: A Better Week and a Little Reality

So this week was better by far.  I'm still ready for a break, but we all made it through without tears.  And as it turns out, next week we are going to a homeschool camp up in  Oklahoma.  I'm trying to have a good attitude about the camp.  We were really excited about it at first, but a couple of things have happened that have made Hubby and I wonder if we're going to enjoy ourselves as much as we thought.  But as I was complaining about it yesterday Hubby told me that he was trying to have a better attitude about it since he was taking a week's worth of vacation to go.  He said that he felt like he needed to at least give it a try before deciding it was going to be bad.  Which of course made me realize that I needed to change my attitude as well.  Did y'all notice how he did that?  Told me that he was needing to change his attitude which also gently pointed out to me that I needed to change my attitude as well without coming right out and saying it.  He's one smart cookie, that husband of mine.  Of course, I knew exactly what he was doing because I am also a smart cookie, but since he did it correctly I was able to listen and follow his example instead of becoming hard headed and getting in an even more foul mood. 

This week was mostly school as usual for us.  #1 and #2 did write letters to our state senator and representative as part of their homework for TeenPact.  They were very impressed with the fact that they could so easily contact their representatives and to learn that their representatives are supposed to listen to them about different issues that come up.  Which is exactly what we want them to learn through these classes.  How government works and how they can make an impact in our government.  Hubby is actually going with them for their class.  Government is his passion and I think he'll enjoy the day as much as the girls.  Once we get back home they also are going to write a bill that is going to be presented to the class.  I passed that work off to Hubby right away.  I don't want/
need any extra work to do with the girls!

I'm learning something with #3.  With her math, I teach her a new concept on Monday and then the rest of the week she works on the worksheets that review the new concept as well as review previous concepts.  With #1 and #2, when they were in 1st grade I was still able to sit next to them as they did each worksheet and make sure they were doing every problem correct.  I'm not able to do that with #3.  When she is working on her math I'm working with one of the others girls on something else.  Usually I don't even pay much attention to whether or not she is using the blocks to help her.  She knows that she is allowed to answer the problems without using blocks if she understands how to do it.  The thing is, she is getting everything right.  I know when I'm teaching the new concept when she has gotten it.  Once she has I can literally let her go and work on her own and she can do it by herself.  She still occasionally asks for help, usually on word problems, but for the most part, she figures them out on her own.  This year with #1 and #2 it was a big deal to put so much independent work on their own shoulders.  But I'm learning that even as young as 1st grade they can be left alone to do independent work.  That's a nice revelation.  It makes a difference in the way I look at school work.  That I don't have to sit next to them for every little thing making sure everything is perfect as they go along.  I can give them some independence, when it's feasible, and trust them to get it right.  Or at least trust myself to know when they are getting something and when they need my help.  It's a nice thought when I look forward a couple of years to schooling 4 kids.

But I don't have to worry about that right now!  School is done for the week so I just have to focus on getting packed, spending some time with family and spending a week with a bunch of other weird homeschoolers!  Looking forward to the break!

P.S.  Remember my post a couple of weeks ago about being real with each other?  This was my kitchen one night last week.  It took three loads in the dishwasher to get it all cleared away.  And no, I did not wash anything by hand to get it done quicker and no, I did not help the girls with their chores of loading and unloading the dishwasher.  I left everything there until someone else took care of it.  And I am not ashamed!  :)