Squabbling!

Gee, of course I didn't plan on my kids squabbling now that we homeschool, but it does erupt at times. This morning was a good example. We got one desktop computer through Connections for the kids for homeschooling. It wasn't too much of a problem at the beginning of the school year because both the kids did much of their writing in notebooks. Recently, though, Denver started blogging and Aurora is writing a very long story (now at 25 pages single spaced!) on top of history research and typing and whatever else comes up. The kids' agreement is that whoever gets out to the cabin first and turns on the computer gets to use it first. This morning Denver fell back asleep after his alarm clock went off so Aurora made it out to the computer first. Denver flipped out because he is virtually always the first one out and he has his routine: he checks his email, updates his blog (http://seymours.wordpress.com/) and does his Type Right! When Aurora gets on it is usually an hour before she is done.

Denver's routine was broken and he was mad. Many times I am so busy with my work I don't want to deal with their squabbles; I let them work them out on their own. Today I had the time, energy and gumption to get involved. I asked how they could work this out. Suggestions were not forthcoming. I offered to let them use Dad's computer; neither liked that option. Finally, after 10 minutes, Denver calmed down and stated, "Well, I guess I'll do my work," and he went to his desk and found something else to do.

I really hoped the kids would get along better now that they are homeschooled. Sometimes they do, but many times they don't. Their personalities are just so different, and they both have very strong personalities in their own way. I'm pondering adding "Interpersonal Communications" to their courses for next year--the class I teach online! ( :

Found Out!!!

This blog has been my forum for thinking through and airing issues related to homeschooling for me. I write about my kids a lot, and I really didn't care for them to know that I was blogging about our journey. I'm just more comfortable writing without them as an audience (I was actually a little self-conscious about my husband reading this too. Go figure). Thus, I was annoyed the other day when my son piped up, "Hey, mom, I'm reading your blog about homeschooling!"

I replied, "Where did you hear about that?"

"Oh, there was a page with it on your iphone."

Found out! I told him to delete the page and that I'd rather he didn't read it. Being the good kid he is, he promptly deleted it. This may not last forever....hey, are you reading this, Aurora or Denver?? X out right now!

One of the side effects of homeschooling is that my kids are getting very tech savvy. They can do things on the computer now that I certainly never taught them, partly because they use the computer a lot more now, and partly because they have more time to just play around with it. For the most part I think that is a good thing, though of course I keep my parent antennae up about this to make sure all's well.

Fresh Starts...and the Joys of Today

I've been blogging about life in Alaska for a couple of years and it never occurred to me to start another blog until a few weeks ago it crossed my mind to start blogging about our family's recent venture into homeschooling. I have plenty on my plate: why add more? Well, the thought has persisted and I haven't been able to shake it, so here I am. My thought is to drop in every day or so and just share how things are going on our homeschooling journey. It is mighty personal...don't know if you will find this interesting. If nothing else it will be a record for my kids (from mom's perspective!) of the homeschooling journey.

Today I was so excited to get an email from a mom I ran into at the Homer Library. I saw her checking out every single book they had on Egypt and had to crack a joke about us homeschooling families "cleaning out the library," since it was just over a month ago that I checked out every single Egypt book! Anyways, we got to talking and I guess her daughter, who is the same age as my daughter, is studying ancient civilizations this year, same as us. So we have decided we're going to get together and do some activities together! I'm excited! I've been wanting to collaborate but haven't found anyone else who is studying the same things as my kids (same level, same book, etc.).