Homeschooling Update

We went on an extended homeschooling break around the middle of last October.  Between being uncomfortably pregnant, getting ready for Thanksgiving, having a baby, packing and moving, celebrating Christmas, traveling, and settling in, we've had a busy couple of months.  But then things settled down, and we didn't really get back to homeschooling.  In fact, the only thing we've done is we painted nativity scenes and the letter K one day in December.

Now that things have really slowed down, and we're back to just "normal everyday" life, we should be getting back into homeschooling.  Picking up where we left off, around K and L, the number 12, somewhere in the middle of Abraham and Isaac.  But we haven't.  And can I confess something?  I don't want to.

I'm tired.  I feel like I'm constantly behind.  That's not so much to do with school as it is with having four kids five and under, one of which is a newborn.

There's a big part of me that says, "Well, if you would spend your free time getting things ready, instead of on Facebook, or reading, or watching mindless tv, you could do school."  And I could.
But I think, right now, raising four little kids is enough.  I just need the mental break sometimes.  Which means that come fall, Jonah will probably be going to the local public school.  If I can manage it, I'd still like to do some letter activities to get us through the rest of the alphabet before then (although he can recognize most of the letters by sight and some sounds).

We might revisit homeschooling in a few years, when the younger kids are more capable of entertaining themselves for awhile at a time.  When I don't have to be constantly feeding a baby.  When I don't have to spend so much time in the kitchen because I'm delegating some of the prep work to the bigger kids (I can dream, right?).  When life is easier.

I still really like the idea of homeschooling.  I like preparing lessons and finding projects.  I just think now may have been the wrong time to start.  And I know some people say to just push through, to find your own rhythm, to let the kids do more on their own.  But for me, I'd rather supplement someone else's work right now, and take over later, rather than add another stress to my life.