School's Out For Summer!

Because we pushed hard all during the school year, today is Malachy's last day of CAVA (California Virtual Academy) curriculum, although he still has almost two more weeks of required attendance. And what a ride it's been!

It's unfortunate that CAVA recently changed their summer management, as now they will not allow the kids to work on their CAVA classes during those months. In fact, they would not send forward any fourth grade curriculum even though some of his third grade studies were done months ago. In this particular instance, we purchased fourth grade and Summer Bridge workbooks both online and at Costco to keep him active. One of the things that attracted me to CAVA was their willingness to let the child learn at their own pace, which for Malachy is quicker than average in some courses. Apparently budget cuts are now affecting the online schools in California as well.

My son does so much better in a somewhat structured environment and so we will continue working on our own over the summer. Not all the time, not every day, but for the most part, we will march ever forward so that there will be no "summer slide" for him. Some day in the future, we may find a better way to educate him but for us, right here, right now, this is his best opportunity to work at his own pace under my loving supervision. Furthermore, I do not wish to switch virtual schools or homeschooling methods at this point, because I remember how anxious I was last summer break. I was so filled with worry, wondering if I could even handle homeschooling and if we were truly doing the best thing for his educational needs. This summer I intend to stay balanced, with full knowledge of what to expect in late August when his next school year begins again.

And so here we find ourselves, nearing in completion of one entire home-schooled year. There were days that we thoroughly enjoyed our experience of being home all day together. There were days that I was more than ready to drop him off at the nearest neighborhood school, disappointed with his attitude. There were frustrating times when I had appointments that had to be scheduled around his calendar. There were days when the entire school day was but a picnic and nature walk (science studies, of course), casually observing the birds and animals at our local parks. We homeschooled while camping at majestic Big Sur. There were a few splashes of fun filled CAVA events with other fellow CAVA students, such as bowling, trampoline dodgeball and ice cream socials. He had opportunities for the traditional school room parties, like the Valentine's/Pizza party and the Halloween party. Steve and I threw a Christmas/Holiday party for some of his former school-mates and new homeschooling friends back in December. I believe that Malachy had a positive school memory for third grade, overall.

And so this concludes this blog, as my "newbie" status changes to "experienced". Thank you kindly for allowing me to vent over the past school year. Thank you for letting me share my fears and frustrations. Thank you for your supportive words and guidance. I hope that somehow this light-hearted blog can help another who may be considering undergoing the same quest to provide their child with the finest, parental assisted education.

This has been our story and we're sticking to it! :-D

To everything turn, turn, turn.......

Well, I know it's been a long while since I've written. There have been many changes in the lives of my family since and I haven't been sure what I should do; journal the chaos going around in my mind or bury my head in the sand. Apparently the journaling won out. Oh, aren't you lucky! :-D

In early January of this year, the company Steve worked for was sold to a company headquartered in the Midwest. At first it seemed wonderful because Steve got a bonus which is something his old company never (did I mention never?) gave out. We were able to buy a new SUV that was large enough for the family and for the dogs (all together even!). We sold one of the older vehicles and Steve took over my ancient, but reliable Jeep. We were able to upgrade some household items that were long overdue to change. Life began to feel a little less stressful as the financial woes lessened for us.

Two weeks after his bonus came in he called me from work. He told me he had good news and bad news. Immediately, I figured what was going on and my heart sank for him. His position and a few other's were eliminated. He received a few months severance pay to lighten the blow. For several days, he was alarmingly numb, although considering he had been working there for 11 1/2 years, one might expect that reaction. On the other hand, he had felt that his time was coming to an end at that company, as he had been feeling bored and restless for some time and was considering other options. However unhappy he was there, there was a certain comfort zone that made it difficult to leave in the current economy and so he never really left the security of his current job.

So, there's the boot! Get out and go find your happiness!

In the meantime, I have struggled with the realization that this could mean that I would need to find a job to help out financially in which case, Malachy could no longer be homeschooled. This has been heavy on my mind and in my heart as I know he really prefers the learning environment that he is enrolled in versus his previous neighborhood school system. And both Steve and I, feel the same way. We KNOW the level of education he is getting now, working one on one with him. We wholeheartedly believe in the quality of the CAVA (California Virtual Academy) curriculum and see how much he is absorbing and how fast he is moving forward. I don't like the politics of the neighborhood school and the district. I don't like the idea of having 30 kids to 1 teacher. I don't like the fact that I wouldn't have the same active role in his education as I do now. I like our flexible schedule. No, that's wrong. I LOVE our flexible schedule. He is enrolled in a twice-weekly PE class in the middle of the day where he is learning team sportsmanship, individual achievement, and just plain non-competitive fun. I have had many struggles getting to this point in our homeschooling and they are just starting to iron themselves out. Although we are very flexible in our day to day schoolwork, there is always a level of expectation from myself and from Malachy. By the end of the day, we've gotten our work done. We are always moving forward.

So for the past four or five weeks, this has been my deepest fear for my son and for us. However, I am always the optimist and have tried to focus (manifest) on certain desires regarding the upcoming changes:

Steve is a brilliant man with strong engineering skills, both in software and hardware (no this isn't a pitch for a job for him...heheh). He was a computer geek before most people knew what a personal computer was. I don't have a doubt that he'll soon find a position where he will be an asset to whichever company he joins. In my selfishness, I am hoping (and praying) that he'll find something closer to the area in Northern California where we had fantasized in the past about moving to at some point in the future. At this very moment in our lives, we really aren't tethered to the San Francisco Bay Area anymore. Although the location is only a few short hours away if we want to visit. I'd be able to be back in the countryside where I belong (if Mama ain't happy.....). The brightest note in all of this is that Malachy could continue with CAVA from anywhere in the northern part of the state and not miss a beat if we do move.

The uncertainty is the hardest part for me to deal with. Not knowing. Unaware of my next step, I'm a planner and I am not so spontaneous as I once was. This is where my personal faith comes in.

But truly, what keeps this all in perspective for me, is the comparison of my personal dilemma in life versus the upheaval for the people who live in Japan. Those whose lives have altered in the recent earthquake/tsunami/nuclear melt down. My issues are but miniscule. My heart goes out to their struggles.

www.american.redcross.org

Happy 9th Birthday Malachy!!

Wow. It's been one month and one day since I last posted. Because things have been moving along well regarding school, I felt maybe I would have nothing of interest to you to write about. However, my friend Mary assured me that it still is an achievement that things are balancing out after so much frustration in the beginning.

And they are. There are still little conflicts between us but on most days, he's willing to do what he's supposed to do, when he's supposed to do it. All I really have to do is threaten to send him back to the neighborhood school and he pretty much, shapes right up. I have also used his currency (his laptop time) towards a punishment if he really gets out of line.

All in all, he's doing really well in school. He has been signed up for city-run PE Made EZ for Homeschoolers classes, twice a week. Two of his "Friday Park Day" friends attend it and highly recommend it. He has been attending quite a bit of social activities through CAVA (California Virtual Academy) and meeting new friends. Two weeks ago, he attended a "Trampoline Dodgeball" event and made two more friends, one older and one his age. There are so many opportunities to meet new friends that have a lot in common with him and I see him gaining more self-confidence. This was a very shy boy from the get-go and I'm glad to see him outgrowing that.

So today is his ninth birthday and I'm nostalgic at how fast time flies. I know from experience that as they grow older, they want to move even faster towards adulthood. And then, in a blink of an eye, they are gone. Upward and onward to their own lives. And once they start on that fast moving trend forward, there is no turning back. They fly out of the nest at breakneck speed and the most I can hope for, is that they will look back at their childhood with fondness. That the values I've tried to teach them along the way, assist them to be good and thoughtful people. And how critically important it is to come and visit their mother often. Ha!

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things. ~John Burroughs

So....the holidays kept me quite busy during the entire month of December. We had a little Christmas party & gift exchange for eleven of Malachy's old school and new homeschool buddies. It was really exciting for me to get together with their moms that I had missed so much because of homeschooling. One grandmother visiting from New York, even joined in the fun. The kids were wild with excitement, filled to the brim with pizza, soda, and sugar coated goodies and went home with a little gift and hopefully a warm memory of friendship they will keep for a long time.

The two weeks of a rainy, winter vacation was filled with running errands, visiting friends and family and doing all the necessary chores to usher in the Christmas holiday celebration and the new year.

And it's over. And I'm ever so grateful for that. The house is back to normal, all decorations are stored away in the garage. Toys are organized in their rightful locations. New clothes are hung in the closets. The chaos is over for another year. I can breathe with a calmness I haven't felt in weeks.

During the second week of vacation, we dabbled a little in school work. Just enough to review and to give the boy some much needed structure. This morning, we began with a full, Monday schedule and it went really well. I think we were both really looking forward to a sense of normalcy.

We started just a tad earlier than most days, breezed through several courses, took an hour and a half off for lunch, caught up with two more subjects right after and we were done by 1:30. Nice. I pointed out to Malachy that this was a wonderful day and if he didn't resist so often, most days could be like this.

But! I've been around the block a few times and I'm aware that tomorrow may be a completely different story. Worthy of another blog, I'm sure.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A non-eventful kind of day....

The San Francisco gloomy weather has arrived. The sun didn't peek out all day, we just sat in a heap of chilly, December fog.

This morning we started out on time with our studies, but only got 1/2 way through before my motivation took a major nose-dive. I just didn't feel like doing any more school work. Not that the boy was giving me a hard time, I just have a big case of the blahs. And not that I had a bunch of other exciting things to do either, I pretty much only did minimal housework on the side. I guess maybe I'm more than a little bored with the status quo around here and need some changes.

In fact, this posting is pretty boring too. And I'm sorry about that. I'm hoping tomorrow I can get back into the groove of things. A good night's sleep does wonders for me.

The Silver Lining.

Well I feel better.

Today at "Park Day", I met a new mom to the area. She's been homeschooling four kids for six years. Yes, I said four kids and yes, I said six years. Now, SHE deserves a medal! We talked about our past week and I shared that I had a pretty difficult one with my son. He's been whiny, he's been obstinate, he's been distracted, he's been needy, he's always hungry and I just need a break from being with him 24/7. When I told her that I was threatening him to send him back to regular school after the Winter break, she said she was relieved that she wasn't the only one that has been having issues and at times, questions her commitment. Wow. I am relieved to know I'm not the only one.

We laughed and made light of the situation with our kids. And a fairly difficult week, ends on a humorous note. Thank you Amy and welcome to the Bay Area.

The Freshman Fifteen

I'm disappointed.

Fall 2009, I had enthusiastically joined the local gym, mostly because of the wonderful classes they were offering and also, to give me the incentive to lose some of that lovely, extra weight that had been slowly creeping up over the past few years. I had been happily going to the gym, attending classes or working out on the machines, almost every day. By the time last Spring rolled around, I lost 15 pounds and felt MAW-VELOUS! I pulled out my smaller clothes that had been boxed away for a few years and was in much better health, as I also battle with high glucose levels and over the past two years, high blood pressure. Some of the women in the classes have become supportive friends that I enjoy seeing several times each week and I absolutely adore my dance/yoga teacher. Everything about the gym has been positive. Well, except for yesterday, when I decided (after avoiding altogether) to stand on the dreaded, fancy scale in the women's locker room. Bleh.

Since Malachy's summer break started last June and especially since home-schooling had begun in late August, I am ashamed to admit that I have gained nearly every, stinking, ugly pound back. I have become much less active, using the gym much less frequently than I did last year at this time. During the day time, we are busy with our heads in the books and working on the computer so that by the time the afternoon comes along, I am too exhausted to work out. Last year, I was taking the dogs for walks in the hills, every few days, and now they too suffer. My clothes are feeling tight and uncomfortable and I am always feeling tired and sluggish. I can relate to that young adult whose life has changed so much during that first year away at college, including that inevitable weight gain.

Facing the facts, I woke up on this rainy Saturday with a determination I haven't felt since last Fall. I reopened my Livestrong/MyPlate account and I am going to start counting calories again and registering my daily fitness. Yes, I know, we are right smack in the beginning of the holiday/Christmas season and I will be bombarded with good food and sweets every where I turn. But I know myself and I know how stubborn I am. When I make up my mind, it's going to happen. And in this case, it's a good thing.

The boy and I, WILL be taking the dogs on walks through the hills (his physical education) on weekdays, whether he likes it or not. I WILL be flexible to adjust some of his daily classes so I can get on the cardio-machines more during the weekdays when I'm not feeling so wiped out. I will make smarter food choices. Hey, is that the theme from Rocky going around in my head right now?

That's it! The Freshman Fifteen and I are at battle and I know who is going to win this war! Welcome back determination!

:-)

PS. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!