Kindergarten Kid

This year is a big year at our house.

Miss Alyse Nicole started Kindergarten.

 

We also started our 1st year of home schooling.

 

When Alyse graduated from preschool, Josh and I were really not sure what we wanted to do for school.  We live in a good school district but it is a year round school and I wasn't sure that Alyse or I would be ready for her to start school so soon.  It also may have been a huge shock for my little PJ loving, want to be home all the time child.  We had talks about lotterying for a charter school but I just wasn't completely comfortable with that.  There are a number of good private Christian schools near by, one of which I use to teach at, but well, that's a lot of money.

 

It came down to the fact that I am a teacher.  I went to school, have a degree, and a teacher's license.  I also taught and really enjoyed it.

Then I found out that in the state of NC you really don't even have to file anything until your child/student is 7.

 

Josh and I had many conversations about the idea of home school.

He wasn't really jumping up and down about the idea.  But when I talked to him about it his real concerns were the average concerns that I think lots of people have about home school (many of which I don't think are true to every home school situation!)

But we decided that it is just Kindergarten.  I don't think that she is going to miss too much.  She will have plenty of time for all the friends, sports, activities, etc.

 

Plus I have 2 good friends who are also homeschooling their children who are Alyse's age and she is already friends with.  The 3 of us, and a sister of one of those friends, have put together our own little home school group.  We have plans for craft days, field trips, activities, and holiday fun.  There are 12 kids between us so there is plenty of fun to be had.

Our church also has a home school group.  We have not gone to any of the events yet, but I am looking forward to going soon.  There are many of our friends at church who have or are homeschooling so I feel like we have a great community of supporters around us.

 

The best part  is that Alyse is all about doing school.  If I had to fight her to do it each day I don't think I could do it, but she is happy to do it... well, as long as I give her little breaks.

In fact the first day I woke up with her little face about 2 inches from my face.  She said, "Mommy!  Today is the day we start school!  When do we start?!"

I wanted to tell her that part of the reason I was a fan of home school was that I didn't have to rush out of bed in the morning. but I got up and she got to see her surprise.

Her own desk and a few school stuff.

 

 

Josh and her also started the day by reading our theme verse for the year.

John 14:12 (our family's version...)

 

 

I wanted to start our year with the tradition we started last year with getting ice cream on our first day of school.  She requested a frosty.

 

We didn't get a chance to get to work until after lunch when Breeley was down for her nap, but before we could start Alyse wanted to put on her back to school dress that she had picked out herself.

Once she was dressed it was time to get to work.

(Putting up apple #1 for our 1st day of school.)

 

This is our 3rd week of school and it has gone great so far.

More details on some of our fun in another post to come.