Confirmed!

We are officially a homeschooling family!!

In light of everything that happened at the end of last year, endless nights of discussion, and some really hard choices on all our parts, we decided to pull the Eldest out of the typical brick and mortar public school and homeschool him this year. 

It wasn't just one thing that sparked this, but a multitude of reasons. One being the severe bullying issue that caused us to have to put the oldest into therapy (no 11 year old should be talking suicide!). Another reason was the safety issue that today's kids have to face. Yes, we understand that there are issues kids have to face, we just don't believe that OUR 11 year old is capable of facing them yet. Most importantly though, the thing that bothered me the most about the public school system was that the Eldest's grades went from all A's and B's to barely making D's and no one bothered to bat an eye, call me, email me, or make any extra effort to help him! And yet they still were pushing him through to the next grade level because he wasn't "failing". 

If one teacher couldn't catch a MAJOR change in our child, I don't have a whole lot of faith that 6 teachers who spend 1 hour a piece with him will be able to catch a problem. He is a quiet and shy kid. I'm not OK with him being shuffled through! He is very excited about homeschooling. We all are. It will be the first fall that I've had both my children home with me at the same time!

Because the Eldest is being homeschooled, we see no reason why we can't start the youngest's preschool education. So, I'll be homeschooling him as well for right now. He always wants to do what his brother is doing anyway. This will just give me a way to spend time with both the boys, help the oldest when needed, and advance the little one!

I will keep you all updated with tips, tricks, and hardships of homeschooling both a middle schooler and a preschooler!

Stay-at-home Witch tip #2

• Get Organized!

Totally and utterly an ongoing task! I realize this. Believe me though, it makes life so much easier. You have to find the system that works for you though. Personally, I am a 'lister' I make lists for my lists! (I'm not joking). I have 8 white boards, notebooks, a datebook, and a GIANT cork board. That doesn't include the multitudes of 3 ring binders that I have for our family! lol.... so I'm a little obsessive. However, I can tell you exactly where the Home Depot receipt from May 3rd of 2014 is! (Important for Husband's business).

There are a bunch of sources online for helping to organize, just google 'organizing a home'.