A brilliant solution!

 My girls have been having a hard time with spelling. Not only has it become difficult for them to learn the misspelled words, but they are upset when they get words wrong, which only adds to the frustration. Today, I hit upon the idea of having them type their misspelled words on my typewriter. they absolutely LOVE messing around with the typewriter, and so were thrilled to get a chance to use it. Having to hunt and peck for the letters made them think harder about which letter came next in the word, and, as a result, they both correctly spelled words they have been missing all week! I love finding easy solutions to problems! This has also made me appreciate home schooling, as I am able to tailor our lessons to suit my children's strengths and weaknesses.

 While the girls worked on spelling, Stuart happily played with the Fisher price school house. He will usually play quietly for quite a while, and as a result of playing nearby while we do our work, he is learning how to count and name his colors.

 I have been knitting while giving spelling tests and hearing reading assignments, and have actually gotten in quite a lot of knitting time! I have made two cowls for the girls, and am now making them matching hats.

All in all, the school year is going very well for us. This is somewhat of a relief, as the last two years have just been difficult, and I feel as if we have not made much progress. Someday, I will type out a post on my thoughts about home schooling. This always helps me to clarify my own thinking, and to remind me of why I do what I do! Now it is time to make dinner and read a little more of the excellent book we are reading!