A New Beginning

It has been such a long time since I have had time and peace to type here in this space. This past summer I've been trying to decide if I should close this blog and start a new chapter or forge on ahead. Life has changed so much since I started this blog. Then I thought, this space I've carved out is about Our Family. This space has always served to keep me on track and to record events to look back on. I don't want or need to give that up. We're here to stay. And so...

At the beginning of the year Panda was seeing several different therapists all at different times and my dream of homeschooling was going up in smoke. He gave up reading books and started hitting himself. As the reality of what it means to be a parent of a "special needs" child burned itself into us, hope dwindled further and further away. I was burned out and needed some respite. It was a bad summer.
But!

I am so happy to announce that this week he started therapy at a center where all of his therapy will be handled at the same time and place, every day! The only available slot was during the morning, so I had to pull him from the school districts program. By default we are now homeschooling in the afternoon! Next week I will begin blogging again about our school week, but for now, we are back and in action. I can already feel the peace and rhythm rushing, cascading, flooding back into our home. Panda loves the center. Their teaching style resonates with our wishes for Panda. He has stopped hitting himself, and for this entire week he has brought me book after book to read. One night he brought me twenty bedtime stories. If there is ever a good reason for staying up late that was it. I know we can't always do that, but finally I feel like my boy has been returned. The future is looking very bright.

Panda and Waldorf do not mesh. It's a sad fact that I have to honor. I love Waldorf and there will be several aspects of Waldorf in our home and educational life, but it's time to honor how my son learns and let that 15 year old dream go and embrace a new one.

So what does our Education Plan look like?

Before Five in a Row is the backbone of our education plan.
Basically we read a book every day and base all of our activities off of that book. Very similar to our Toddler Tuesdays. Some books we will be using wont be on the BFIAR list, but the process is the same and easily applied to any book.
Waldorf (because I can't let it go completely) will be used for our daily rhythm and art. We will also be using Math Gnomes. They aren't exactly Waldorf, but often the two get thrown together.
Reggio-Emilia will be used for science- and his therapy center is also Reggio-Emilia based.
Montessori will be used for life skills.
Charlotte Mason will be utilized for early reading and focus.
(yes Mouse, this should all look very familiar. It was a good plan, and fits us well).
But lets not forget Badger. He will even have baby school (soon to be the rebirth of Toddler Tuesdays) to keep him occupied while working with his big brother.
Perhaps I shall name our Home school Frankenstein Academy because of all the different styles we have cobbled together. Lol.
Deep Breath.. And THAT is everything that has been happening in our world, and a glimpse into what is to come.
Shine on!