It is currently March 16th. Four more days until Spring is officially here.
We have almost officially survived winter in Montana, once again.
It actually has been a very mild winter. It began looking like Spring more than a month ago, but I didn't believe it was real. I was fairly certain this was Montana playing a big joke on us, tricking all of our Spring flowers to start growing too early so It could drop it's temperature on their tender baby green growth and kill them all dead.
Spring without Spring flowers, Montana's cruel idea of a joke.
I was so sure that was going to be the outcome that I buried all of my premature baby crocuses and tulips under mounds of old leaves last month. This morning I saw all my baby plants have fought their way out of their unnecessary protective blanket, defiantly showing me they will not stand for this over guarded stance I have taken for them.
So be it. They are ready now.
Speaking of protective blankets and guarded stances, we have decided to try a different approach to Kloe's Middle School experience. Starting next Fall, we are going to give home school a try.
Academically, she is doing great in school this year; all A's and B's and nothing but praise from all of her teachers. She is growing up, and is a very funny kid. I truly enjoy being around her most of the time. But I can also see the social pressure pushing in on her, trying to shape and mold some of her attitudes on life. I just can't stand the idea of her specialness being shaped into this idea of Typical American Teenager. Can. Not. Stand. It.
I don't know if it's just a difference of temperament between Derrin and Kloe that has allowed him to get through Middle School without the outward manifestation of The Social Pressure Molding. Maybe Middle School is harder on girls? Maybe it is easier for me to recognize in my daughter because I had that same thing trying to shape me once upon a time ago.
We have offered Derrin the option of home school next year as well, but he has already enrolled in High School and is pretty excited about his classes. But the option remains open.
What do we hope to achieve with home school versus public school?
My biggest goal is to provide an environment where she will be able to grow into the best version of herself.
She is naturally drawn to singing, writing, and art. I'm hoping that by encouraging growth in those areas, it will help her form an idea of self-identity that has nothing to do with trying to fit in and be like everyone else.
I've been doing a lot of self-reflection during this decision. Am I asking more from my daughter than I ask of myself? It isn't fair to expect her to do the work of being her best self if I am not also doing the work of being my best self.
Self-discipline is going to be the quality that keeps this thing afloat or sinks it. The only way I can expect her to have self-discipline is if I also have it in my own life.
Next fall I won't be going back the seasonal job I've worked the last six years. I'll be home with Kloe, helping with home school. I'll have a separate goal list for myself.
I've been looking into different online home school programs. One of the that looks promising combines 7th and 8th grade.
My ideal/dream week of home school would look like this:
We have almost officially survived winter in Montana, once again.
It actually has been a very mild winter. It began looking like Spring more than a month ago, but I didn't believe it was real. I was fairly certain this was Montana playing a big joke on us, tricking all of our Spring flowers to start growing too early so It could drop it's temperature on their tender baby green growth and kill them all dead.
Spring without Spring flowers, Montana's cruel idea of a joke.
I was so sure that was going to be the outcome that I buried all of my premature baby crocuses and tulips under mounds of old leaves last month. This morning I saw all my baby plants have fought their way out of their unnecessary protective blanket, defiantly showing me they will not stand for this over guarded stance I have taken for them.
So be it. They are ready now.
Speaking of protective blankets and guarded stances, we have decided to try a different approach to Kloe's Middle School experience. Starting next Fall, we are going to give home school a try.
Academically, she is doing great in school this year; all A's and B's and nothing but praise from all of her teachers. She is growing up, and is a very funny kid. I truly enjoy being around her most of the time. But I can also see the social pressure pushing in on her, trying to shape and mold some of her attitudes on life. I just can't stand the idea of her specialness being shaped into this idea of Typical American Teenager. Can. Not. Stand. It.
I don't know if it's just a difference of temperament between Derrin and Kloe that has allowed him to get through Middle School without the outward manifestation of The Social Pressure Molding. Maybe Middle School is harder on girls? Maybe it is easier for me to recognize in my daughter because I had that same thing trying to shape me once upon a time ago.
We have offered Derrin the option of home school next year as well, but he has already enrolled in High School and is pretty excited about his classes. But the option remains open.
What do we hope to achieve with home school versus public school?
My biggest goal is to provide an environment where she will be able to grow into the best version of herself.
She is naturally drawn to singing, writing, and art. I'm hoping that by encouraging growth in those areas, it will help her form an idea of self-identity that has nothing to do with trying to fit in and be like everyone else.
I've been doing a lot of self-reflection during this decision. Am I asking more from my daughter than I ask of myself? It isn't fair to expect her to do the work of being her best self if I am not also doing the work of being my best self.
Self-discipline is going to be the quality that keeps this thing afloat or sinks it. The only way I can expect her to have self-discipline is if I also have it in my own life.
Next fall I won't be going back the seasonal job I've worked the last six years. I'll be home with Kloe, helping with home school. I'll have a separate goal list for myself.
I've been looking into different online home school programs. One of the that looks promising combines 7th and 8th grade.
My ideal/dream week of home school would look like this:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: Get up at 7, get ready for the day. Start school by 8. Do the basic school stuff for about three-four hours.
- Do something physically active, like play basketball (she mentioned that when we first discussed this with her), go on walks, see if she can do some things at my gym with me.
- Enroll her in an art class or have a voice coach once a week.
- Schedule definite times throughout the week to hang out with her friends, and plan on doing some traveling to make that happen.
- Spend more time with family... see if she can hang out with Aunt Renae, and Lyndsay.
- Have an actual mid-week service day that we can spend together.
- Derrick offered to spend more time teaching her how to play golf.
- She can also work in his office throughout the week to make some money.
- We can go on field trips together.
- Things I would love to share with her: Photography, painting, working with stained glass, making jewelery, and anything else we can dream up together.
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