Long Days

I haven't done much with 13yo the past few days, and this is already making for some long days. Can I blame it on my desire to check items off of my homeschool list? I bought Rod & Staff Science and Geography/History books for 11yo last fall starting with the 3rd grade level. We read through the 3rd grade level books and now we are half way through the 4th grade level. It is bugging me to have a "5th" grader using 4th grade books. Those lessons keep screaming at me to get them done and out of the way, so we can move up to the 5th grade books. I can't push her forward in English and Math (also using 4th grade), but science and geo./hist. aren't as dependent on development. We've already read through two science lessons, a review, and a geography lesson this week. With two more days, I'm sure I'll attempt to check off a couple more lessons from my list.

As much as I'm enjoying reading about vaccinations, disease prevention, and Switzerland, I know it is taking me away from other important subjects. By the time 11yo and I finish her schooling, I have to force myself to do school with 7yo. There is just no speeding this kid along either which makes me more tired. 13yo gets the short end of the stick, because I'm ready for a long break before I need to begin supper.

Enough whining.

The good news? I've decided that 13yo and 11yo know their phonograms well enough that we should move on with the All About Spelling lessons/steps. Today we did step 2 and I have a feeling that tomorrow we'll easily complete steps 3 and 4. With only 24 steps in level one, I can see us finishing in a month.

Also, 7yo is exceeding my expectations. She definitely has some challenges, no doubt, but I have found that she isn't going to be as slow as I had worried she might be. She is moving through the Bible Nurture and Reader Series more quickly than I thought she was capable of. Is it easy for her? No. But, she is doing it! She is sounding out words and blending them nicely. She is memorizing sight words so she can start reading now before knowing all of the phonograms. And her handwriting is nice when she puts forth the effort.

My biggest concern? I need to spend time with 13yo!