Drying Out

Things have started drying out.  We've had a drop in temperatures at night which means more blankets so everyone stays cozy warm.  I've also restarted curriculum homeschooling in the morning to help give the children more structure.  They lost the sense of structure this past week.  (Amazingly enough, it has only been 8 days since we've been here.)  With the morning schooling, they are getting a better sense of routine again.

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B, who has been added to the homeschool mix has been public schooled.  He is in the third grade, but his reading, writing, and comprehension skills are horrible.  His parents know it too and got fed up with the public school system.  They tried fighting for him and getting him the help he needed and got no where while their son was passed on to the next grade and never helped.  So, I will be working extra with him.  The desire is there and when I talked with him about stuff, he would tell me "The teachers told me not to worry about it and didn't ever help me."

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He asked about spelling tests.  I told him I don't do a lot of those.  I would rather he know how to look something up or use spell check and know how to use words than know how to spell them but not know what they mean.  I gave him the word "Hemorrhage" as an example.  Don't ever ask me how to spell it.  That is what spell check is for.  But I know what it is.  I know what it means.  I nearly died experiencing it.  But I don't know how to spell it.  I gave him a spelling book to work with.  It is grade 1.  Charlie is working in a grade 4 or 5 spelling book.  I use those spelling books as vocabulary books.  Word examples for B include "pin" and "bud."  He didn't know what they were.  He thought "pin" was "pine" and had no clue what a "bud" was until I showed him a flower bud.  I don't make him write out his spelling words ten times every day.  I have him write sentences with them.  He is actually enjoying that because he now knows he is learning and not being pushed aside.

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Did I mention that this is the same school my children would have gone to?  That this was considered one of the "best" for the county we lived in in Indiana?  Yeesh!

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As for work around here, it is amazing all the clearing that has been happening.  We've been cutting trees and splitting logs and we did laundry the other day.  I need to do more laundry because I am running out of mud free clothing.  I'm considering boiling a couple of 40 quart pots and hand washing a ton of clothes.  There isn't supposed to be any rain and with the wind blowing there shouldn't be a problem drying.  So that is my plan for today.  Boil water to do laundry.  Right now, I am waiting for Charlie to get to the top of the hill here so he can blog.