Let the Scheduling begin!

This will be my 15th year of homeschooling. I think. I have lost count. You'd think after doing this for so long, I'd have all the kinks worked out, but I don't. Not by a long shot. I think the reason for that is that every year there are new kinks! The ones you worked out last year are not there, but there are new ones and you've got to figure out what to do with those.

This year, my 2 oldest students (Gunnar in 11th and Ev in 9th) will be gone 2 days a week taking classes elsewhere. (Ev at our co op, and Gunnar at our co op and at the local community college for duel credit). For Gunnar, it's not to big of a deal, he's not really doing anything for me at home this year so I just have to make sure he's staying on top of his CC and Co Op classes and probably help out here and there. For Ev it's a bit different. She's got two classes on Tuesday at the co op and our usual Thursday classes. The problem is, she and her sister do some classes together at home, so I've got to figure out how to get it all done without holding her sister back because Ev's gone two days a week. Not an insurmountable problem, but a kink none the less.

I've also realized that we are now quite tied to the school schedule. As a family, we can't just pickup and go on vacation or a day trip or anything because of our kids schedules. Bryce is taking EMT classes (he finished Fire Academy in June) on M and W. Gunnar's CC classes are T and Th and Ev's co op classes are T and TH. That leaves Friday. However both boys are working, Gunnar every afternoon but Thursday and Bryce all day on T, TH and F.

There is a great deal of freedom in having older kids and some real perks, but sadly, this is not one of them. Gone are the days when we could just pick up and head to the museum for the day or hop in the RV for a last minute getaway. We have so many schedules to work around that we have to plan things months in advance if we want everyone to come. It's kinda sad.

So, Today...

I have purchased all the curriculum, signed all the kids up for their various classes at their various locations and procured all the necessary supplies; now it's time to plan and schedule.

Really.

I'm doing it today.

Seriously.