Week 4 in Review

My friend who is a seasoned homeschool mom of three, one graduated said to me this week--"You never get it figured out, Kelly."
Me--"That is NOT what I wanted to hear."

I have not figured this thing out yet, I know that for sure, but this week I think that I rested just a bit in the fact that I will not ever get it all just right.  By setting goals for the week and simply relaxing, allowing myself to be imperfect and by working more in a moment by moment manner, I found that we actually did quite a lot of school.  Not all that I would have liked, but a lot nonetheless. 

The main task at hand this week is to retool the reading lessons for Molly.  With our small infrastructure breakdown in which we both discovered that our reading curriculum had to go, I have been trying a few new things.  I borrowed some Pathway readers from a friend, and she seems to like these so far.  I also just pulled out Bob books and Hop on Pop and silly things like that, and worked together on phonics and sounds.  Hang it all--do I really need a curriculum to teach my kid to read??? I'm not so sure I do, but I couldn't help but feel a bit out of sorts without a guaranteed-to-make-your-kid-a-genius reader.  Okay, I admit, it was worse than a bit...

When I was a kid I carried around this old blanket that I called my "godden." I loved this blanket, and remember the trauma I felt when it was once left behind in the grocery store, and then another time when I forgot it for the weekend at my father's house and returned to find that my mother had hidden it away so that I couldn't carry it anymore.  It was devastating.  I TRULY relate to Linus in Peanuts when he is separated from his blanket.

I think some of us moms start to feel that way when we are separated from the crutch of curriculum.  Upon ditching the book that we both really hated, I immediately had a feeling not unlike the D.T.'s (or at least what I imagine they'd be like!)  Then today I found myself with my dear little girl, making up a story on the white board about a brown cow who walked into town wearing a gown.  We were both giggling and picturing this scene...and she learned what ow stands for in these cases.  I had no guidebook, no teacher's resource, no reader in front of us...and we were both thrilled.  So, I'm not actually sure if I am going to replace that blasted book.  I think I may just trust my instincts and go with the flow on this one.  She's five for pity's sake.  I need to lighten up.

Don't get me wrong...there are many really, really good curricula out there, and I have benefited from many.  However, Mom's lesson this week is that I really need to learn to trust my instincts and be responsive to how my child learns best.