The New Homeschool Life

I still can't believe this is happening.  Each day I wake up in some sort of denial that this really isn't our life now, that its some sort of dream set in a science fiction novel.  It feels like we have become a self sustaining sort of commune; we teach, we cook, we work at home, we are the only influences in the kids lives that are not on a screen.  We are in control if we stay in these walls.  The truth is that I like that.  I like being able to say when we start our day, where we can go, what we do.  I like being home on the weekends, for the most part.  I feel calmer, less anxious, more aware of a bigger picture.  Now, there are those OMG moments when I need to find a quiet space before I totally lost my mind.  Seriously, those are happening!  I like the facade of being in control.  How in the world is that possible during a pandemic, to feel like your controlling the situation?!  It seems like it would be the opposite, doesn't it?
This week we began blended learning, which is a city wide online learning program designed to fit each grade level.  We had parent meetings Monday and school began Tuesday.  Tuesday was crazy.  Wednesday was better.  By Thursday, we had it down.  Our teachers have been amazing.  They are so supportive and their love of their profession has shimmered in the midst of all of the chaos.  We have zoom class to understand the lesson, zoom calls to read, emails to print, teacher hours for questions. 

Each of our children are adjusting differently.  Caleb loves blended learning.  He's self sufficient, excited to hear lessons from other teachers, and tries his best with each assignment.  Caleb was waking up and doing his reading assignment first thing.  He's still talking with friends online and he seems great with that.  He loves being at home and being with family.  What strikes me most about him is how grown up he is, how his times of needing me are occurring less and less.  He just gets school most of the time.  Kinleigh struggled more.  She's adjusting to lessons on the computer, finding it hard to pay attention at first.  She misses her friends fiercely, and her activities too.  We have highs and lows together.  The lows always involve tears but she is growing through them.  I'm able to spend more time with her and have realized where she has been struggling.  She definitely struggles with school and I'm not quite sure how to help her.  I do know that forcing her to work hard and stay consistent will matter.  I'm hopeful it will change her abilities for the better.  Judah has an ease in learning.  He likes it, he'd rather be with me and Jacob then in a classroom.  He retains information and is eager to please me.  Jacob wants to be different.  It's harder for him to sit still and he'd rather be active.  He looks up to Judah and gets frustrated when he doesn't answer as quick.  He reverses letters more.  I think he is always so preoccupied with Judah that he loses concentration and then gets frustrated.  So juggling all of these kids in an at home learning environment can make you feel like a rock star or a bum.  It's never middle of the road mediocre.  You're either fantasticly smooth or a devestating failure. 
We are working through this new normal.  It's been a month and I really can't believe it.  We stopped thinking about when we will be back to normal and we concentrate on today.  We have bible lessons and announcements right after breakfast.  Then we move on to chores and starting our day.  Then we do school work until its complete.  Kinleigh and Caleb do their lessons in their rooms.  Caleb on his school computer and Kinleigh on our home laptop.  While they watch videos, I do circle time with the twins.  We go over weather, seasons, days of the week, counting, writing, and letter sounds.  Whatever we can fit in, we do.  They have online aps they do and we read some scholastic books and watch videos about them.  We will even do a craft to tie it all in.  Caleb's last zoom call is at 2, and Kinleigh and I have been reading during that time. 
This new homeschool life is crazy busy and I find myself still in my pajamas at noon.  You run from one requirement to the other and wait for just a moment to take a breath.  But then there are sweet moments that are slow and a blessing.  They open my eyes to the bigger picture of all of this for our family.  Being together, with no place to be, will never happen like this again.  The uniqueness of that time does not escape me.