It's here!

Our very first curriculum has arrived!  It came early on a Saturday morning, and just a few days after I placed my order.  My kids couldn't wait to see what was in those boxes.  Once I let them loose, I couldn't get any of the books back (not a bad thing, I guess.)

After they went to bed that day, I was able to sort through all of our goodies.  I had a chance to go through the insturctors guide and see what this was all about.  I wasn't sure when or how I was going to start "teaching" and I have yet to decide.  I am thinking about it all of the time, but I am still enjoying what we are doing, living life.  So, as of right now, the core books sit on a shelf and are read when interest is sparked.

Drum Roll Please

A decision has been made and we decided to purchase curriculum for the girls!  After much debate and endless hours of research, we decided to go with Sonlight. 

Sonlight was one of the first one's I looked at and it always stayed with me.  I am going to tell you why I personally think Sonlight is (hopefully) going to work with my family.

Their Tag Line

The way you wish you'd been taught.  That hit home right away.  From early on, I remember trying to memorize information for a test, then, I would forget it all while trying to memorize the next lesson.  I feel as if you can lean so much more by learning through stories and actually enjoying what you learn.

Literature Based

As you know by now, our family LOVES to read.  We sit around and cuddle up and read books for hours a day, so this one was kind of a no brainer.  So, by purchasing from Sonlight, we are just adding to our book collection and hopefully learning a little something from it.

Christian Based

We want our children learning the scripture and this is just one more way for them to see it.  We will start off each day with a Bible verse and a fun song to help them learn.

Unit Study

I will be able to teach multiple ages with the same books.  This not only cuts my reading time in half, but it also gives us the closeness and togetherness our family is looking for.

Instructors Guide is Provided

I have 3, soon to be 4 small children, so the last thing I need to do after they go to bed is "plan out" our work for the next day.  Sonlight offers a 4 or 5 day a week guide that you are able to use how you want.  I am guessing it will be a loose guide for us, enough to stay on track anyway.

One Stop Shop

Sonlight is able to provide you with everything you need.  This works great for me since I am short on time.  I was able to add a handwriting and math program for my eldest.  I am also able to mix and match read-a-longs and readers depending on their reading level.  They provide a reading assessment which Addison took (she is reading at the 4th grade level!) to ensure you are purchasing the correct books.


Now that I have given you all the reasons I think I am going to like Sonlight, we will wait and see what my kids think.

To buy or not to buy?

As I have mentioned before, one of the reasons I am writing this blog is so I can look back on it and remember what I was doing and thinking along the way.  Well, I have come to a crossroad and I haven't been able to make a decision.  Should I buy curriculum or not?

I have heard from so many people one of their biggest regrets was purchasing curriculum when their kids were little.  They either thought it was too stressful or not really necessary.  I have pretty much agreed with them...until now. 

I feel like my family (especially my oldest) needs to be challenged a little more, plus, she thrives on structure.  My feeling is, if I start the "schooling" now, they will know what will be happening on a daily basis.  Granted at this age, it only requires about 30 minutes each day, but it will be part of our morning routine. 

Pros to buying                                                       

More structure in the house
Kids will be challenged
Kids will learn something new everyday
We will have the curriculum when we are ready and will be able to go at our own pace


Cons to buying

Spending more money
1 more thing we "have" to do
They are still very young


As you can see, it is a tough decision, but hopefully I will be able to make the right decision in the next couple of days.