Homeschooling

When Chris and I first found out we were pregnant with our oldest we had tossed around the idea of homeschooling.  We pretty much did informal homeschooling with him and our other kids ever since they were born, but we did decide to send Anthony to public school.  Mainly we figured we would since we lived in an amazing school district, but also Chris had concerns about the social aspect of homeschooling.  He had met some homeschooled children that he found to greatly lack the ability to interact with others.  I told him that I thought it was just their particular personalities, but it still concerned him.  Now with all my health issues and losing the ability to drive or work carseats it's becoming increasingly difficult to get Anthony to and from school.  Our school system doesn't really have a bus system, so that wouldn't be an option.  On top of it, Chris and I aren't really pleased with Anthony's schooling anyway.  He is incredibly bored at school, and even though they've placed him in advanced reading groups and such they are still not working on HIS level.  The kid is reading encyclopedias for goodness sakes, and they are only letting him check out second grade reading level books.  So after discussing it numerous times over we decided that, at least, for next year we'll totally homeschool.  At first it was only meant to be for the next year, but after looking into it more and more we've decided to play it by ear.  If he excels this year, and I feel comfortable with it we may continue on.  I am incredibly nervous that I will somehow screw him up and hinder him rather than help him.

I pretty much have completely settled on which programs I'll use, and which materials.  I've got ideas for Social Studies but that is the subject I'm looking forward to least, it's just so completely broad.  I've stitched together my own Language Arts program for him, since any designed for a first grader was not going to challenge him.  We'll also be starting him on the recorder and foreign language since he is showing an interest in both Spanish and music.  For math we are using the "Math Mammoth" program.  I really love the website, and an online friend uses them and really loves it.  It's a state requirement to do health so we'll be using the, "Growing Growing Strong" book.  For science I've fallen in love with the "R.E.A.L Science" program, and can't decide which subject so we'll be pulling from all three.  

For Anastasia I purchased a few basic preschool materials as this year she'll be starting (homeschooled) preschool.  She is very excited, but upset that she can't learn piano and we won't buy her one.  We're looking into getting her a keyboard.

I'm insanely organized and have already begun setting up the materials, even though we won't be starting until June.  We've explained to Anthony what is going to happen and he is very excited.  He tells us that the kids at school aren't nice to him, which we had observed.  Anthony doesn't connect well to kids his own age.  He'll be starting Cub Scouts soon, and I hope that proves to be better for him.  Hopefully I'll get everything ready here soon, I'd like some lessons planned prior to Charlie coming as it will be a jammed packed year after he arrives.  I need to be organized so when I'm recovering from surgery Chris can take over the schooling for a week or so.