Learn at Home with My Pre-K Box

We are in the middle of Summer Break, and enjoying a more relaxed routine! We're still making time for learning activities, though. We're just learning at home, whenever we want...no pressure whatsoever!

I'm always trying to find ways for Liam and Coen to learn together. Liam is 8, and has Down syndrome, and Coen is 2, so it can be tough to bridge that gap. I love it when I can adapt the same activity to meet both of their levels of learning!

We love subscription boxes, and My Pre-K Box is one of the best! These monthly themed preschool learning boxes are filled with fun learning activities, games and crafts. It is geared toward preschoolers aged 3-5, but it works so well for our two youngest boys!

How To Set Up a Simple & Fun Homeschooling Corner

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We are on week five of remote learning, and we've finally found our groove! Just kidding...every day is a new adventure around here. Some days are really good, and some days are REALLY bad. (I didn't sign up for this!!!) The homeschooling corner, however, is my A+ project!

BSC (Before Social Distancing), I was a homeschooling mom to a 15 year old, and I didn't have much to do other than to oversee his education. Now, I'm overseeing four educations, actively assisting my 8 year old, fully supporting my 6 year old, who has Down syndrome, and "attending" daily circle time, and 5 additional teletherapies a week for him...all with a needy baby on my hip. The terms OCI, remote learning, Zoom meetings, and teletherapy are a part of my daily lingo.  (I repeat...I didn't sign up for this!) 

After the first few weeks of trial and error, it became apparent that we needed a homeschooling space. 3 of my 4 school-age kids will be returning to school in the Fall (PLEASE!), and Dylan only needs a laptop and a shelf for supplies, so I didn't want to do anything major. A homeschooling corner was the solution, and guess what? I think we'll keep it!

Currently...in Quarantine

We just began our sixth week of social distancing, and our fourth week of online learning! When this all began, I thought for sure we would be back to normal life within 2-3 weeks, and definitely 6 weeks tops, but as the days went by, I began to suspect that it would be much longer. Now, I'm starting to worry this is going to extend through Summer. 

Life sure is different now. We don't go anywhere, but our days are long and busy! Some days it feels like we've got this, and other days our emotions are all over the place. I'm beginning to think we could have our own reality show at this point: Quarantine with 5 Crazy Kids!

I have been sharing snippets of our everyday lives on social media, and so many people have told me that it either makes them laugh, or that they can relate so much. Yes, we have "normal" days and incredible moments with our sweet kids, but when you put 7 people together in a 4 bedroom house, things can escalate QUICKLY!

Why We Started Homeschooling Our Teenager

Although I'm now homeschooling four kids, homeschooling is not a new concept to me. This past Fall, we pulled our then 14 year old son out of the public school he had been attending since Kindergarten, and enrolled him in Cyber School.  It was a bit of an adjustment for us, but it's a method that works well for him at this time. 

I wasn't quite ready to take full responsibility for educating a teenager, so we opted to have him do online schooling after doing our research and reaching out to other parents. Managing his education, making sure he gets PE and outside learning experiences, encouraging hobbies, and allowing him to lead a normal social life (until social distancing happened) is my responsibility. It wasn't a decision we made lightly. We really wished he could continue in our school district, but it just wasn't working for him, and we knew in our hearts that we had to make changes.

There are many factors that led us to this decision, which I will finally share with you. After several months, we are starting to see little steps in the right direction, so we know we made the right decision. Little did we know when we embarked on this path that we would have 3 other kids joining him at home months later!

My Birthday in Quarantine During a Pandemic

Today was my birthday. When I envisioned this birthday, I imagined it would be my usual day of driving my kids around, breakfast or lunch with a sibling or friend, going out for dinner with my husband, and a little party with my family in the evening. In reality, my birthday was much different. I never imagined I would be celebrating it in quarantine, during the coronavirus pandemic!

I would say that my birthday felt just like any other day, but that isn't quite accurate. Nothing is ordinary right now! Instead, it was just like every other day we spent social distancing. It was a bizarre birthday, but definitely one I will never forget!

There wasn't a doughnut breakfast, I didn't have to drive kids to school, I didn't meet a friend or sister for lunch, my husband and I didn't have date night, the presents came from my Amazon wishlist, and there wasn't a party. This was the first time I didn't get to see my mom on my birthday. Heck, I didn't even leave the house except to get the mail! Birthdays in quarantine, during a pandemic, are definitely out of the ordinary! Despite the circumstances, I still felt the love!

The First Official Day of Quarantine Homeschool

When my four older kids went back to school in September, I never would have guessed that I would be homeschooling one - let alone FOUR - kids by April! One child is homeschooled by choice, and the other three are now homeschooled by necessity. It's definitely a huge adjustment for all of us!

I started homeschooling Dylan in November. To be fair, he is a teenager, and he does Cyber School, so I'm not really teaching him. It's just my job to oversee his education, make sure he gets exercise, give him additional educational experiences, encourage a healthy social life, and make sure he reads and is exposed to the arts. (He is a talented artist, so no problems there!) I still have to share the reasons why we chose this for Dylan, but it has been a positive experience for him and for me!

Homeschooling is definitely not for everyone. While it works well for Dylan, it isn't the best option for Lexie, Lily, and Liam, who thrive in a public school setting. Lily and Lexie are very smart, and they are very involved in school activities. Liam has Down syndrome, which means he has an IEP. He has a wonderful team working to help him thrive - a general ed teacher, a special ed teacher, a para, a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, and a social worker. He receives all therapy at school, and has so much support. The three of them LOVE school, which is why this new homeschooling adventure is difficult for all of us. But with schools now closed indefinitely, it's now our new normal...

Social Distancing the Big Family Way

It's unbelievable how much life can change so quickly. Two weeks ago, I had no idea that our lives were going to change so drastically as I dropped my kids off at school on a perfectly normal Friday morning. Two weeks later, my family is finishing our second week in quarantine like most of the country, and "social distancing" is now an everyday term. 

Life still feels so surreal, but the threat of coronavirus is very real. We are missing our normal, busy life, and I'm realizing just how much we took for granted, but the safest place for my family right now is home. In two short weeks, so much happened. Our schools initially closed for two weeks, by the order of the governor, until March 30th, but it was extended until the Monday after Easter. (That being said, I doubt they will go back then since the virus just hit our county.) My husband ended up working from home, because his office is closed due to the governor ordering that all non-essential businesses close. And as of Friday, our county officially has a stay home order. No going out unless it's to exercise, go to the grocery store, check on family members, or (safely) drop off or pick up essentials from another home.

Our health and safety, and choosing to protect others by staying isolated, is the most important thing right now. Life in isolation is definitely tough, though. It's so difficult not seeing our family and friends, we are worrying about our health and the health of our loved ones, we are trying to explain to the kids about what's going on, and our kids are dealing with the disappointment over school being closed and so many important events and activities being canceled. There is so much uncertainty and fear right now, but we're just trying our hardest to stay positive during this incredibly difficult time!