Being sick when you are single is one thing, but adding a farm and 7 kids into the mix takes on a whole new meaning. With that said I was reminded this week of some important aspects to running a large family.
1. It pays to teach your kids early how to do chores. This week would have really been terrible except Indiana and Willow are well versed in farm chores and they managed to keep everything done on time. This includes milking the cows. Journee and Quinn kept the house picked up and everyone pitched in caring for the youngest 2 kids. Laundry? They can all do that as well, so at least I didn't have to worry about daily house and farm chores.
2. I do not have nearly enough meals frozen and ready in my freezers. I would love to say that we ate healthy meals while I was down, but that is so far from the truth I am ashamed. I think some pizza and taco takeout were eaten, you know , the take out crap. What can I say? Lunch was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but dinner was a quest for anything. Normally, in months when I have my act together, we have several meals in the freezer for hectic days and times when I am not up to par. Today I plan to write up a store list and menu plan and get my act together.
3. Blue Bloods is now one of my favorite shows. Yes, I laid in bed and watched several episodes now that it is on Hulu. Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlburg? (sigh) I have always liked shows about the NYPD, I am a life long fan of NYPD Blue, and now I have a new show to love.
Of course, this has nothing to do with managing a large family except sometimes mom needs a show to watch.
Now that I am back with the living, I am trying to get everything organized for the new school year.
Yesterday I spent hours at the kitchen table organizing curriculum and getting a *plan* ready for the first 12 weeks of school.
One thing I am doing differently this year is our math. I have always used Math U See until the kids get to Algebra and then I switch them to Teaching Textbooks. This year everyone is using Teaching Textbooks, except Zeb (kindergarten).
It was an expensive switch, but I think it will work best. Math U See made changes to their books several years ago I never did like, and Teaching Textbooks has been a good program.
We are also going to concentrate on one state each Friday. This is an idea I learned from Kris at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. We will start with the west coast and move east.
It's all in the logistics. It's all in keeping things organized. It's all in having a nice cup of coffee each morning to get motivated!
Happy Sunday Ya'll!
This amazes me, Sam!!! I was an educator by profession and I remember setting up for each school year, but I was only dealing with 2, maybe 3, subjects at a time. Not four or five subjects in four or five grades. Whew!! Not sure how I would have managed that. You are one terrific lady!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear you're better now, it is so difficult when you have a big family and home educate but a farm as well? Well I can't even imagine. Get that freezer filled up, I think I should do that too, always good to be prepared. x
ReplyDeleteI hope y'all have fun with 50 State Fridays. We did and I'm considering doing it again. We love Teaching Textbooks. It's definitely a sanity saver and I've only ever had 3 doing math at the same time.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better!
Glad you are feeling better. Summer colds always surprise me too. We have been looking into our upcoming homeschool year as well. Just ordered a microscope! Thanks for the reminder about freezing meals. If it cools down here I need to do that.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're feeling better. I'm totally with you on the freezer meals. So essential for those sick days or the days that nobody wants to cook.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear your good review of Teaching Text Books. We have also used Math-U-See up till now and I was planning on switching to Teaching Text Books this up coming school year. Now I just have to plan the rest of our subjects :)
I am glad it was helpful! I am still in process of loading the programs on to the computer, but I am glad I decided to drop Math U See this year! NOW...I have to get a grocery list and meal plan organized!
Delete