It's crazy to think that we've already completed one whole month!!
Things are going well. Kaitlyn is attending a local Christian school and is thriving in 7th grade! She took a test at the end of last year to determine which math class she would be a part of: 8th grade Pre-Algebra or 7th grade math. She passed that test with flying colors, so she is in 8th grade math this year! You should see this book -- seriously, you could hurt yourself with this book, it's HUGE!! But, despite the back ache the book gives you, she is doing really well - which is a testament to the mind God gave her, as she is technically supposed to be in 6th grade this year! (The first school she attended put her right into 1st grade instead of Kindergarten, for those that were unaware)
Now to homeschooling:
Hannah is in 4th grade this year and is doing well. Her lyme disease continues to play a HUGE role in her learning. Lyme disease can be treated with little to no side effects if caught early and treated properly. Hannah's was caught early, but not treated properly so the disease was allowed full reign of her body and infiltrated and took over her central nervous system, and moved its way into her brain. Since her diagnosis of Chronic Lyme she has gone back on rounds of antibiotics in hopes of getting back some of the brain 'function' (for lack of a better explanation) the disease took from her. We are at the point now where what we have back, we have back...what's left, we just have to learn to deal with. This can be QUITE frustrating for both of us!! The place we see it in the most is in her short term memory. The symptoms of Lyme come in cycles - so it's not an everyday thing. She has good days/stretches, then she has bad days/stretches. During these bad cycles she can not remember what we've learned from day to day - which means, as her teacher, I have to re-teach each concept every day! This is very frustrating for Hannah - who just wants to remember, and very taxing on me as I have to re-teach the same thing over and over. BUT -- in all of this GOD IS FAITHFUL and Hannah has been able to stay on grade level in some subjects and above grade level in others -- she is NOT falling behind!!! I firmly believe homeschooling is the BEST thing for her. I can give her the one on one she desperately needs that a teacher with 24 other kids can not give. God knows what He's doing and for that, I am thankful!!! (If you think of us, pray for us! I am trying to find ways to help her recall this information on the days she can't remember -- I want to give her clues to help herself - so maybe we can get to the place where we won't need to re-teach everything, she'll be able to 'clue' herself back to that information!)
Caleb is LOVING Kindergarten!! He can't get enough!! He is doing first grade reading this year as he was already reading small chapter books before 'kindergarten' even started!
We are going through things at his pace and he is learning things so fast (and KNOWING HIS STUFF), that we may be fully in first grade by Easter - we shall see!! He loves reading and math. The only thing he doesn't like is coloring! :) It has been a lot of fun watching him soak in and thrive in school!
We are going through things at his pace and he is learning things so fast (and KNOWING HIS STUFF), that we may be fully in first grade by Easter - we shall see!! He loves reading and math. The only thing he doesn't like is coloring! :) It has been a lot of fun watching him soak in and thrive in school!
I wouldn't be fully honest if I didn't say there were days I thought we made the wrong decisions - for each of the kids- but, when I see how well they are doing and how they are thriving where they are, I KNOW that we made the right ones and that gives me peace!
