Lessons Learned From Our First Day of Homeschooling

We did it!  We made it through the first day of homeschool!

Yep.  We're still smiling!  Maybe a little tired, but smiling.  

I'm a planner.  I always have been since I was little.  I would even write lists about what lists I need to make.  So, it was only natural that I've been planning so much for this first day.  

Did things go according to plan?  

NO!  

Is that a bad thing?  

No, again.  

Here's a run down of what I learned about my first day homeschooling.

#1)  Workboxes work!  Just make sure you know how to work them.

I started the year using workboxes.  They're great!  My kids really liked seeing how much longer until they were finished.  But what didn't work is when they both needed my attention at the same time.  Then 15 minutes later, they were both taking a break or doing something independently.  

Yeah, gotta fix that.  

I really need to work on understanding what they'll need my assistance on and having my other child doing something I know should be independent.  

Let's see if that changes tomorrow.  

#2) Be flexible and think outside the box.

Given the fact that Munchkin has never been in school up to this point, I was really unsure as to what she really knew and what I thought she knew.  I started having her match lowercase letters with their upper case partner.  I thought she could totally do this on her own.  

Think again!  

She had a fourth of them matched and then started guessing.  Thankfully I remembered the alphabet posted on the wall.  Once she figured out how to match the wall letters with her magnet, then match the partners on her paper with the group she found on the wall, we were in business.  This taught me that you can't plan for everything.  Be on your toes!

#3)  Be ready to say Oops!  

We started Monkey's first spelling lesson with a story then a pre-test.  As we were finishing up with the challenge words, I look at the side of my teacher page.  

Lesson 9 Day 1.  

Oh boy.  

There's a reason I put a bookmark earlier in the book!  

I apologized to Monkey, erased his paper and we started again.  I'm thankful for kids who are flexible too, and don't hold too much against you.  

His response to me: "That's okay, Momma.  We all make mistakes!"  

Yep, I know bubba.  Now let's take a spelling test all over again.  

Was he upset?  

Surprisingly no.  

What did it teach me?  

It's okay to mess up.  They don't care! 

I'm excited to see how this year goes.  It's a definite change from what I'm used to, but I'm ready for the challenge!