Sometimes it feels like I still haven’t gotten started yet – some days are more productive than others. Because I am still slowly setting up our new house and trying to establish some sort of housework routine as a new SAHM, we still don’t have a rigid schedule. Some days we spend a fair amount of time doing worksheets and practicing writing, and Kyri spends plenty of time doing Starfall online. Other days, errands and housework consume the day and I end up feeling unproductive as far as school goes.

I am trying to keep it in perspective though. I knew starting out (at 8 ½ months pregnant!) that the summer would really be a time of transition, in more ways than one. Settling into our new home and establishing a household routine (cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc), slowing getting into a homeschooling routine (baby steps, right?) and now settling into life with a new baby – life has definitely been hectic the last several weeks!

We ARE finally starting to settle in a bit, however. Everything is now unpacked and rooms are set up. Some cleaning still needs to be done, and we are finding things in our new home that need touching up and repairing. That’s the way of home ownership, though, right? I’ve set up the baby’s room as my temporary sewing room (he’s in with us for the early months) but so far haven’t found time to tackle any sewing projects. I don’t have my personal workspace as organized as I would like, but it’s functional. I’m still trying to get my “perfect” system put together for keeping up with schoolwork, appointments, and our finances. So far, I am keeping up with things, but I have to stay on top of stacks of paper (my weakness). Even the outside is coming along – planter boxes built (though the late start is not boding well for my transplants), composter set up, front garden bed planted. I will say this – I had no idea that I would have less free time as a SAHM – I am always busy!

For our homeschooling, I am working to get involved in our local community, and to explore all the city has to offer. Immediately after arriving, we joined our local homeschooling group, and we have weekly park days for the kids to play and the parents to interact and socialize. I am getting to know some of the moms, and Kyri is starting to socialize a bit and seems to really enjoy the experience. She went from spending all day and all week with a group of 16 or more kids, and being quite the social butterfly, to being a homebody with mom. The homeschool group has fewer kids in her age range, but she is adjusting. I think there are a few things that are causing her to be a bit shy. First, she sees these children once a week so it’s a little slower progress, and she has been in a classroom setting for a while. Second, in a classroom setting, you have a teacher essentially steering you into interactions with the other children, and in our current setting, the interactions are really child-led. Kyri has really settled into a routine with one child, who is the same age, and she does look forward to Park Days, so that makes me happy. We are also going to be involved in a homeschool co-op starting this fall, to teach Science and Social Studies, and most likely a second co-op to cover Music and Art. Many of the kids from the homeschool group will also be in the co-op, so Kyri will be interacting with the same group of kids several days during the week. Things are still going a little slow as we adjust to having a baby in the house, but I am so impressed with the progress Kyri is making. She’s my little reader! She has really grasped the Phonics lessons from Starfall, and can read many words now. She loves when we read together, and its really a high point of each day.

I’m really looking forward to all that homeschooling has to offer. As we get started with some of the local offerings and some of the curriculum, I’ll post in more detail.