School in real life

I love schedules, to-do lists and spreadsheets.  I currently have one of each of those hanging on the wall next to me and I find great satisfaction in crossing things off.  I have a spreadsheet for my workout plan, another one for our schedule and another one for daily school work. Unfortunately, life doesn't always fit in those pretty little boxes.

One day I got home from my run and was trying to get in 10 minutes of abs in the garage.  I struggle with strength training because the second I get home, I get bombarded with life.  Most days the kids come outside with me and get their wiggles out before we start school, but this particular day, Eli was ready to get going and brought his schoolwork outside.  He was getting frustrated that I couldn't help him like he needed and went to the schoolroom.  I figured I should probably roll with his enthusiasm and went to help him.  Before I knew it, all the kids were in there working away.  The boys were doing math and I was giving Alison a spelling test while still trying to get some ab work in.  Nothing like planks and giving spelling words...

My pretty boxes would have Alison doing her work independently in her room, at her desk.  But she doesn't do her best work that way.  She never has liked being by herself and we've found that math is far more successful if she works on it at the kitchen counter while I get lunch ready.  That way I can help talk her through the tough problems, but I'm not hovering.  AND playdough has done wonders.  She's not a fidgeter by any means, but when she plays with this playdough while working on math, she's able to concentrate a lot better.

  I don't have a block in the schedule for "nature walks" or photography, but Alison and Colin have been taking Maya for a walk and taking pictures of flowers they find in the neighborhood.  Then they'll look up what kind of flower it is.  Colin took these pictures and I was so impressed!

I also don't have a block for Lego building, but if there was a homeschool method that was "let your child build Lego's every spare minute he's not working on school" I would be rocking that.  He is so gifted at building...I am so excited to see how he uses this gift.