My Mushy Brain

Homeschooling my three kids is a huge juggling act for me. Now, in my Classical group, there are moms that homeschool seven or eight kids and my face wears an expression of perpetual awe when I am in their super mom presence. Three is all I can do and it's a good thing, b/c three is what I have. I suppose if I had more, I'd find a way. Anyhow, the mushy brain title is probably perplexing you right now, but here's the deal and bear with me, if you can.

My morning starts off with my patient husband "waking" me up to get out of bed, oh, four or five times before I actually really wake and get out of bed. This happens around 6:30 or so. I shower, slap some makeup on, wake the kids (they are usually already up) and we all are dressed and have beds made by 7:30. Then it's down for breakfast. We all pat the dog, I usually burn the toast and someone usually spills milk, OJ, or a box of cereal before we settle down at the table for breakfast and devotions. We read, practice our Scripture memory, talk about it and pray. Then there's a flurry of clearing up the dishes, cleaning out the dishwasher and brushing of the many teeth. I announce the countdown until school starts "45 minutes until school starts! Better get all your wiggles out now!" and the kids will tromp on outside and run up and down the driveway like banshees, which is fine by me b/c I'm not really totally awake until I get the whole cup of coffee down and digested.

Nine o'clock hits and we start school. Jake has a daily routine of complaining that it didn't really "seem" like 45 minutes! We usually argue this point all the way up the stairs, but I win and we start school. Here's where the juggling routine happens. See, I have it all perfectly worked out so that when 2 kids are doing work, I can teach the third and it rotates around pretty well this way. I have to say that I've been patting myself on the back a bit b/c this is the first year that I've been able to pull it off so perfectly. Granted, I didn't get this down until my  THIRD year homeschooling, so this talent obviously takes a long time to pull off.....at least it did for me.

Jake and Tirzah begin with handwriting and I begin by teaching Chloe her math. Then Chloe works on her math work and I teach Jake his math. Then while they both finish up their math work, I work with Tirzah with her phonics and reading aloud. While I'm finishing up with Tirzah, Chloe and Jake finish their math and take their Spelling words into their rooms where they say and spell and say again each word to themselves. Then they each ask each other their spelling words and Chloe likes to spell while using sign language. Then I do Jake's reading while Chloe does creative writing and Tirzah works on her numbers and then it's snack time. While I get snack, they all listen to their Classical Conversations CD lesson and when I get back up, I read a chapter from whatever book we're reading from aloud. Then we're off again, reviewing their history timeline cards, discussing them, reading about them (they memorize 8 per week) then reviewing their Latin and working on translation, singing their history sentence together, and either tracing our geography or chanting our states and capitals. THEN (and they love this) out comes Mr. Skeleton who talks in a funny voice with an Indian accent (for some strange reason, don't ask me why, it just suits him) and he points to different bones in his body and asks what their names are. Of course, we usually end up in gales of laughter at this point. Then I have to quiet it all down again for English grammar lessons, followed by dictation and copywork. We finish off the morning by looking up one interesting word in the dictionary, writing out the definition, studying the spelling and using the word as many times as we can in conversation throughout the day. Oh, and we practice reciting our poetry that we've memorized.

Before you know it, it's lunchtime and it's at this point that I swear, my brain that started out the day in a lively manner, acts like it's been run over by a large and noisy truck....4 times at least. If my brain was a coffee hydrated grape at 9:00 in the morning, it is now a caffeine depleted raisin by noon. My poor brain. Usually, the only thing that can revive it at this point is absolute quiet while I eat a lunch of something healthy (like carrots and yogurt) and something not so healthy (like chips or chocolate)

Then, like a marathoner, I'm off again, running errands, cleaning house, running to ballet or soccer or Classical (take your pick), planning and cooking meals, rushing off to doctor's appointments, all the while singing about the countries that make up the former USSR or the President's song naming all the US Presidents. By the time 5:00 hits, you know, I am exhausted, but it's a good exhausted. No, I didn't get everything done that I needed to get done. Yes, there are cobwebs in the corners and the dog needs a bath. No, I don't paint my nails or toes or color my slightly graying hair...who has time for that? But yes, I am satisfied that, darn it, this is what I've determined to do and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability, regardless of my mushy brain! I'm going to balance all this stuff or die trying. We all have to go one way or another and at least when it's my time to go, not only will I be able to recite all the states and capitals, speak some Latin, recite "Be Glad Your Nose is On Your Face" poetry, understand the complexities of ballet and recite 120 timeline history cards in order.......I'm positive that in my last few moments on this earth, if you lean in really close, you will hear me faintly singing...."the Russian Federation .....Tajikistan ......Turkmenistan .....Uzbekistan ....Khasikstan ....Kyrgikstan ....Ukraine, Molova...Georgia ....Belarus....Azerbaijan and Armenia ....these....are....the countries ....of the former.....USSR.....okay, kids...time....for....school!"