Kaki started school this week, on Monday. I was SO ready for her to start school after last week when she was home all week with me. I was really at the end of my rope by Friday. She was unhappy and I was unhappy and the whole house was unhappy. She was a little nervous about the whole getting on a bus thing, but has done really well at school. I am so glad. I was really worried maybe she would do poorly at school and then we would have to consider changing schools again. Right now she attends a local middle school that has three self contained classrooms. If you don’t know what self contained is, that just means she is not with the general population of middle school students, but is in a class with just children with special needs all day. There are three such classes at this school, so she does change teachers and students for different activities as any middle schooler would but just within those three classes. She also has electives like gym with just her class. If she didn’t do well behaviorally at this school they could recommend that she go to another school downtown for behaviorally challenged kids. We didn’t want that, but we also know that might be necessary given her behavioral challenges. Fortunately, she is much better behaved at school than at home. She is even doing well on the bus. And don’t worry it’s a special needs bus, she is not on a regular middle school bus, that would be too much for her. Overall she is doing well and we are relived.

Next week Joshua starts his school, a preschool class at a local elementary school where he will go five days a week. He is a little apprehensive about it because he had to change schools from last year. I think once he gets into it he will like it, but right now he says he doesn’t want to go but wants to stay home with his brothers who are homeschooling. I just can’t do that. Today was case in point as I did History and Science with the two older boys and he and Elijah were playing in their room. I went back to check on them and they had gotten their lotion from under the sink in the bathroom, which has a child lock on it, and put it all over themselves and the carpet. FUN! There is no way I can deal with that while homeschooling. I can’t get anything done. You just have to know your limits, and those are mine. 

Samuel, 5th grade, Jordan, 2nd grade and Elijah, preschool are all homeschooling this year. Last week we started homeschooling and they were all excited and eager to learn. This week it has been a little harder. Jordan, particularly, is hard to motivate, which I anticipated, it’s just his personality. He has much less intrinsic motivation than his older brother. So, we have had some battles this week, but we are getting through it. Overall, they are enjoying homeschooling and I am enjoying the freedom of the schedule of homeschooling and no homework in the afternoons. I think we have definently made the right choice for our family for this year. And we will take it one year at a time.