7 Quick Takes on The New School Year

1.

So we have now finished up the second week of our new school year.  The first week I was trying to figure out how to coordinate working with all three boys and keeping the younger two occupied.  It has worked out well to have two of the boys working at the same time and have the third boy play with the younger ones.  The boys also had a hard time getting back into the "schooling mode".  Particularly Elias since he has the most homework to accomplish.  Things are definitely going a lot more smoothly than the first week and we are getting into our little "groove."

2.

Elias is in first grade, Aidan is in kindergarten, and Kieran is starting preschool.  I may keep Kieran in preschool for another year which is when he is technically supposed to start.  Elias and Aidan are enrolled in Seton and I am really enjoying having the lesson plans to go along with the books.  I am using the Little Saints preschool program with Kieran as well as Image of God for extra religion work.        

  

3.

Extracurricular activities include P.E. and music.  For P.E. I am incorporating some beginning Irish dance lessons for the boys which they enjoy.  It is fun and a good work-out to blast some Irish music and dance around.  I have started beginning piano lessons with Aidan which he is really enjoying and may start Elias with piano as well.  He hasn't seemed too keen on the violin but we'll see.  I think he just needs to practice more to get a better feeling for it.  

4.

The past two Fridays we have not had much of a school day since we've had swimming playdates.  We are keeping Fridays simple with math, phonics, art, and science.  I also try and do a lot of extra reading to the boys on Fridays and we may make it a library day as well.  

5.

We are looking forward to homeschool group meetings starting up again in September.  They will be every other Wednesday.  We are also planning on organizing Year 2 of the Catholic boys Blue Knights monthly meetings which my boys really enjoyed last year.    

6.

We are still trying to decide if we will sign the boys up for any extra curricular activities outside of the house.  Tomorrow is the last archery session for Elias & Aidan.  We may have Aidan & Kieran try out Kung Fu classes and re-enroll Elias in archery.  I really would like the children to have swimming lessons too.  

    

7.

Elias really enjoys art, especially drawing.  Here is a picture that he drew today following some guidelines from one of the Highlights magazines that we checked out from the library earlier this week. I think it's so cute, don't you?

Now that we have our little school routine down it's going to be a little disorganized the next few weeks since we'll be traveling.  I'm still hoping to keep it up here and there so we don't get too far behind.  However, that's why we started early so as long as we get a week or two done over the next month I'll be happy.  :)