Daily Chores

Before we officially start homeschooling in the fall, I want to have our daily chores established.  I have been thinking about this for a while, but didn't really know what chores to start with for a 4 and 2 year old.  We have been starting off slow, but this seems to be very effective.  We are doing our chores completely and with enthusiasm.  I ask the girls to make their beds in the morning and help set the table for dinner at night.  As I am getting out their clothes in the morning, the girls work together to make both of their beds (I just want to say, it is super cute to watch!)  They each pick a side and pull up the sheets and comforter and put on their pillows, then they move to the next bed.

When they are finished, they are so happy and proud of themselves!  They may not be the best made beds ever, but they sure do look good to me!

As for setting the table, they are all about it.  They bring in plates, silverware, napkins and cups.  As a side note, this also keeps them occupied while I am trying to finish cooking.

Pretty basic chores, but we like to take it one step at at time around here.

Back to unschooling...

I can't tell you how many times my husband and I tell each other, "that's another teaching moment."  Well, we were outside a couple of days ago (It was 60!!) and the girls found some ivy growing on one of our trees in the backyard.  They starting asking a lot of questions and ended up learning all about ivy.  They would be by the tree listening to their dad talk about the ivy and couldn't wait to tell me what they had learned.  The excitement on their faces when they would come running over to bring me a leaf and tell me all about it was just priceless I don't think it gets much better than that!

Core "A" sits on the shelf

Well, it's been over a month and I have done nothing with our core curriculum except put it up on the shelf.  It could be the timing or it could be I am just not ready to dive in quite yet.  The books I ordered look great, I just haven't set apart a time of day to start.

I started talking with a few more families who use Sonlight and tried to take their advice and see how that might fit in with my family.  The "cores" cover a range of ages, so I have decided it might be in my best interest to wait on those until I can at least be reading to 2 or 3 of the kids.  I can't imagine reading 4 seperate cores in a couple of years, there just wouldn't be enough time in the day!!  There are a couple of things we will continue to work on like reading, math and writing.  These are subjects I can work on with each kid individually and at their own pace.

I did start Addison on her kindergarten math program.  I chose Horizons and I am not totally loving it.  It is very repetitive and so far she hasn't learned anything.  It says to do 1 lesson a day, but she likes to pick it up and do 5 or 6 at a time.  I don't push it on her, just whenever she wants, we do it. 

The other thing I purchased was a handwriting program that I have been very anxious to start. I did try it out 1 day a while back, but I decided to wait.  I had Addison up at our counter and she just wasn't at the angle and she got very frusterated.  I decided it was time to order a preschool table where everything would be just at the right height.  We did get the table and I have just been waiting for things to settle down from the holidays to get started. 

                                                        Our new table