From lonely to busy and loving it

I’m amazed…I went from feeling the kids were lacking in activities to being gone most of the time. Over February it has been hard adjusting to the new “school” schedule; it was harder on me than the kids. I guess it was really January since today is only the 7^th of February. Most of my issue has been entirely my fault for not paying attention when registering the kids for YMCA classes. We had to register at late registration since we became members after normal registration was over with. I wanted certain things for the kids and when I couldn’t get them into the classes I had wanted for them I took whatever I could get.

Bad move…we have been at it for about a month now and it has been a long month. Every Tuesday and Thursday we go to D’s class where I have to participate with him while J sits and watches (normally he listens to books on CD), then we have 2 hours before the next class (which is just enough time to drive home, sit for an hour, if we are lucky and drive back) which is J’s 2 classes then we have another 1.5 hours before the next class for J. That is about 6 to 7 hours at the Y with a lot of time to kill. If the Y was closer to the house then it wouldn’t be so bad but it is a good 30 to 45 minute drive each way and we haven’t found anything around the YMCA to do for free in the cold wet weather.

The boys LOVE the YMCA so we have to continue and the one closer to us doesn’t offer the things we want (whole different issue that I have already vented about); we are changing how we do things and with any luck it will work out for the best. We will still spend 5 hours 2x a week at the Y but at least both boys will have classes and we will only have an hour each to kill (one hour for D to wait and one hour for J to wait), except Tuesdays when D has 2 hours to kill but that is ok we will find something to do (maybe even his new Calvert stuff if it is here by then).

When looking at our current schedule I start to wonder, “Do we really homeschool?” Everyday we get up eat and get ready for the day. Then from 8am until noon we do our Calvert material (J is doing 2^nd grade and D is starting PreK) and whatever we don’t get done by noon is homework. Noon is lunch time and after lunch we start getting ready for that day’s events; each day is different.

Mondays – Tacoma museums and bowling

Tuesdays – YMCA

Wednesdays – Budding Science, Free Day or Movie Day

Thursdays – YMCA or Earth Scouts

Fridays – Lego Club or Museums

We normally try to make it home by 5pm to start dinner and homework, while I cook the kids do their homework; if they don’t have any they are free to go play or hang out with Dad. When dinner is over, we have family music time, and then it is time to get the kids ready for bed.

When I look at this I see we are as busy as or busier than most families that have two working parents and children in normal public school (I say normal since my oldest is a public school student at home; times they change). We seem to never been home and it has improved everyone’s attitude and outlook on life. We are all happier and the boys even get along much better (not bored anymore). Now if we can just keep it up and it keep us happy.