Benjamin's first week of Kindergarten

Benjamin's first week of school is over! Woohoo! No school work on Friday! Why? Because we are homeschooling via CAVA. California Virtual Academy is a public school via online. We were able to accomplish 5 days of work in 4 days which leaves us free for some fun time! 

This week we completed Math, Phonics, Handwriting w/out tears, Language Arts, Art, Music, Science, Social Studies and fun learning games on Study Island.  In Math we learned about shapes, colors and matching. In Language Arts we learned the sounds at the beginning of words and end, read Cinderella, the Frog prince and had practice worksheets. In Art we learned about self portraits and how in the old days they painted pictures because there were no cameras.  Music we learned how our voices go High and low, how to move to songs and beats! It was fun to dance around! We also got our spider puppet out and told the Eeensy Weensy spider story and sang the song. The twins enjoyed that! Science was fun as we had a scavenger hunt using our flash lights and used magnifying glasses to exam our items from our hunt. We learned about our 5 senses and that Scientist observe using their senses. Social Studies taught us about the Pledge of Allegiance and how it's a promise to our country. Study Island is fun games kids can do to learn.   All this for a Kindergartner's first week!!!

It was amazing and definitely demanding for me. It is hard to get things done while the boys are up so we use most of their nap time to do our work. Benjamin also reads in his room as part of school work away from us so he has a chance to concentrate without distractions! Yes my Benjamin can Read!!!  He loves to sound out words and cracks me up sometimes. Just the other day we were reading a book that said "children" well he said it said "chicken" It was so funny but he is getting the concept of sounding out the words. The first part was correct!

So many of you are probably thinking..........She is crazy! Homeschooling? Why? That's so weird! He will not get any socialization! She is going to have weird kids or does she think she is better than the rest of us?  Maybe your thinking other things.....I don't know but my mind is set on my children.

My family is my heart. My children are my joy. Do I want to spend every moment with them all the time....Nooooooooooooo! I have my moments and my life is not so blissful at times! I have two walking babies following me everywhere that love to be outside so how dare I open the door to water my plants and leave the poor little crying faces inside as they watch me from the window. How dare I yell at Benjamin after telling him 10 times to pick up toys!  So NO I am not in la-la land but in reality and thinking about my family.

I never in my rightful mind thought I would homeschool and I was unsure for awhile. My husband and I prayed about it. I never thought he would be for it.  But here we are homeschooling...well you know virtual public school via online. They have field trips, meeting days, park days and parties. Lots of other things too.

With all that said we chose to homeschool because we can! I don't mean to offend anyone or do assume I am better because I am not. This is what works for us right in this moment and God only knows what the future holds.  It's my conviction that God gave me my children to nurture them. Like a flower trying to bloom. Too much sun or water may kill it. Things like cats or dogs may hurt it, but the foundation it sits on will be the same. And with the right amount of nourishment, love and water it will bloom beautifully! No I am not trying to make a bubble boy but this is a choice and this is what we chose. Benjamin is active in sports, church activities and anything else we can get him involved in.  He has friends, neighbors and family! He is not locked up in a chamber w/books!

With that said, I am not going into detail on why we chose this because I don't want to offend anybody. This is our choice and because I am a stay at home mom, I am able to do this. And do it well....I might add!

So if you were wondering why I didn't post a picture of my amazing son going to kindergarten it's because we homeschool! We have class at the table and he even has his own computer and desk(computer/printer, curriculum provided by CAVA) My jog/walk and Ben's bike ride is his PE, lunch w/his brothers and what better than getting to spend lots of one on one time w/mom right? 

Here is a poem and interesting facts! Have a great day and many blessings friends and family!

Here is a Homeschooling Poem:

You, who teach your kids,

alone at home,

you must be crazy!

You must, work twice as hard.

Your children need you.

You can’t be lazy!

Teach, your children well.

Most lessons aren’t, self-explanatory.

Some things, they learn alone,

but preparation, is mandatory.

Don't assume they know the “whys.”

If they told you, you would cry,

and then shake your head and sigh,

because you love them.

And you, of tender years,

don’t know as much,

as you think that you do.

And so please, listen carefully.

Your parent’s words,

Are not just voodoo.

Learn, your lessons well.

School isn’t hell,

that just slowly goes by.

So tell, your folks your dreams.

They’ll help you learn,

how to achieve them.

Kids can’t learn it all themselves.

Mom and dad must teach them well.

So buy your teacher’s guide and sigh,

because you love them.