We are officially 2 weeks into Hodges Homeschool Academy now. I really wanted to write last week, but it was going so well I was waiting for the "hammer to drop". I was so eager and enthusiastic about how well it was going, Dave advised me to "pace myself". Although, I can't say that I feel any different after completing 2 weeks.

We have covered A LOT of ground. One of the biggest questions I had when we started was where to start. Ady had already been through a full semester of second grade in school. They pretty much only sell curriculum a year at a time. I didn't want to spend a lot of time assessing and skipping through what I thought she knew, I also didn't want to spend too much time reviewing material she already knew. I decided to start at the beginning. I am SO glad I did. I have filled in so many holes, and I am slowly building her a more solid foundation. We move faster through some lessons that are familiar, but we are able to stop and slow down when needed to make sure she is fully mastering a new (or old) concept.

Although I am excited and really pleased with how our days have been going, that doesn't mean it's been all roses and butterflies. Ady cries almost everyday. She has always used crying as (lack of) coping mechanism when she is frustrated or confused. It infuriates me. I knew when we started, that it was only a matter of time before we had an episode. Sure enough, Day 2 during the Science lesson the tears started streaming. I decided going into this that we were going to learn how to overcome this -- it's nothing new and one of the reasons we failed the first time. I have been giving her words and ways to express how she is feeling, and have been extremely loving and patient through each episode -- even when every ounce of me wants to scream and send her to her room.  I find "Teacher Allie" is so much more kind, patient, and understanding than "Mom Allie". One of the best parts about homeschooling is the opportunity to invest in the character of your child. I GET the opportunity to work on her flaws and train her up every single day. Not just after school or on the weekends -- every day, ALL day.

I have been working with Hunter on the side as well with his letters and numbers. I was spending a lot of time designing activities to help him, but quite frankly, he just wasn't getting it. Being the 3rd child, he just isn't that interested in school yet. None of my kids had phonemic or numeral awareness before 4 for that matter. I haven't forced it. There are so many other important things to learn and discover when you're 3. He is slowly becoming more interested as he sees Ady working. In a moment of frustration this week, I ordered Hooked on Phonics. He LOVES it, and it's saving me a lot of time planning. Since he's only 3, I don't feel a lot of pressure to offer a variety of subjects. If we can read some and get those letters and numbers down soon, job well done!