Two Week Crunch

The benefits of a break.

Our TWO WEEK CRUNCH update

Well last week my two younger kids had school.

Substitute Teacher, sister Rose, and schoolbus driver Razor Ray took care of the kids while...

Da...Da..Da...

Mom and dad went on vacation! Yep! Vacation.

We did Facetime with the kids and my older two children were excellent. They didn't even have to call in the grandparents for backup.

Since both my hubba and I recently started new jobs, this trip was a treat for us. But there was a price to pay for it. This past week, we both had to work overtime hours to make up for hours taken that didn't cover the paid vacation hours we'd earned.

So...Substitute Teacher sister Rose, finished out the week of instruction.


OTHER SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE WEEK

It was a light schedule this week since SPEED RACER, my 6th grader, is in Circus Camp for the week.

Tiger Lily had a light schedule, only requiring her to do her online classes with Landry Academy and WriteGuide, while completing her computer interactive electives on CodeAcademy.com and Algebra 2 Teaching Textbooks (our Math Supplement).

SOCIALIZATION STARVATION

Well I noticed that after a summer filled with over 7 weeks of day camps, sleep away camps, weekend meetups and playdates, my kids are going through ... WITHDRAWAL.

Yep, both of them mentioned the following about having a two weeks of homeschool.

Tiger Lilly, "I'm so lonely now. After a summer full of friends and playing, I only have two bff's to play with online for Minecraft."

 * So what did I do...

- Reminded her that Cheerleading starts full steam this coming week
- Signed her up for a MineCraft play area with Scrafty Homeschool Minecraft to give her online friends to play Minecraft with in a safe environment.
- Showed her the calender of several Homeschool Tween and Teen meetups we are going to

- Lastly, I am leading up a Teen Writing Meetup to meet monthly and encourage the teens to write and converse online.

As for Speed Racer's Socialization Withdrawal

- Scheduled more Tween Meetups
- Signed up for library Minecraft club that meets 2 times a week
- Scheduled playdate visits with his friends from soccer, street dance and jujitsu.
- Found an online group for homeschoolers near my home that meet monthly for playdates (a boys only group).
- Boyscouts - checking it out as a way for him to meet and play with other boys.

PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND

Camping! Then a day at Kings Dominion where we have season's passes. Just my Hubba and our two youngest kids, Speed Racer and Tiger Lilly. We have to get used to it just being them that we have to entertain the majority of time.

WORKING PARENT TIDBIT

Next week will be the first week I don't have my at home helper, Sister Rose. Rose and Razor Ray are moving onto college campus.

Things I will do to prepare for the week of working while homeschooling:

- Prep meals for  the week that can be put in (1) Crockpot or the (2) Oven Meals
- Plan Schedule (block schedule) with online interactive items that Tiger Lilly and Speed Racer can do in the morning and with my new 'homehelper' that starts Monday - 3 hrs a day between when dad leaves for work and mom returns home
- Fill workboxes for the week (we use Sue Patrick's workbox method)
- Clean the house (it won't get a serious cleaning again til next Sat. morning)

THAT's All for this week. And it doesn't even feel like I had a vacation all alone with Hubba where all we did was sleep, lay on the beach and rest.