Changes

I've been feeling the need to make some changes in my life.  The most major one is rethinking how we do school around here.  Just when I get these kids figured out, they change on me, requiring me to adapt.  Our schedule has been loose, free, and easy, and that has worked, but now I feel like they need more structure and formalized work.  I started working with them in that direction last week, and it was one of the lousiest weeks I can remember.  Everyone (yes, including me) experienced frustration, whining, complaining, breakdowns, and bad attitudes.  I'm still in discussions with the principal (Mike) and superintendent (God) about how school is going to work, and I will consult the students as well, but there are changes ahead.

I've thought about my goals and steps to achieve them.  My main goal is and always has been for the kids (and myself!) to deepen their relationship with God and develop good character traits.  To that end, we'll continue with daily devotions and Community Bible Study, and I want to try to cut down on screen time for all of us.  My next goal is for them to be excellent communicators (spoken and written), so we're going to work on writing and spelling every day, and I'm even ordering a spelling curriculum.  I also want them to continue learning to read music and play the piano, so we'll keep going with daily piano lessons.  And of course, we'll keep reading every day.

Yesterday I attended teacher training at church, and it was so encouraging, challenging, and motivating!  I've always been in a helper role in my kids' classes, because I don't feel like I have much ability to teach (dirty little secret--I'm a homeschooler without a natural gift for teaching).  But something the trainer said yesterday was aimed right at me:  You can't hide behind the excuse that you don't have a teaching gift, because God can develop that gift in you.  So I volunteered to teach in my kids' classes, and I'm trusting God to equip me.

The last one is more of a minor change.  I'm playing on the church co-ed softball team with Mike.  I'm a little anxious about that, because I'm old, overweight, out of shape, and have never been very athletic.  But I do like playing softball, especially with my husband, so I'm going to try it.