Starting something new...

With two of my boys, we will be continuing where we left of in May/June. Reading Eggs, Math and Spelling for Jude. For Sam, a variety of curriculum, but nothing new. Ben will be starting with Georgia Cyber Academy this year.

Georgia Cyber Academy is basically, public school at home. The State of Georgia pays GCA a certain amount per pupil. We receive books and supplies. If we needed it, we would be loaned a computer. There are online classes, grading, tests, and teacher support. And it's all free. Pretty great.

Here's why we are giving this a try. Ben wants to go to public high school when he gets to the 9th grade. Because he's been homeschooled his entire life, he really has no idea the kind of work load that will be required of him. Also, Mac and I both feel that there are areas where he needs some extra help. He works well on his own, and loves technology (which is a HUGE part of the program) but also could use some outside assistance when it comes to reading and writing.

The school year officially begins today.

Already, there's been more intrusion into our lives than I am used to. Forms to fill out (which I have avoided assiduously since we started homeschooling), standardized assessments to take, boxes to check off, hoops to jump through...I honestly don't know how you traditional school folks do it.

I sat down with Ben yesterday to get a little ahead of some work and to organize his "space." We were at the computer together for all of 45 minutes before he was fidgeting, slumping in his seat, making jokes about each new lesson slide that we came to. And this was with a bathroom break! He knows (because we have told him multiple times) that this new adventure is going to take a lot more of his time and effort than ever before. He's got to log 5.5 hours per day of work, minimum, plus keep up with assignments for seven classes where mama is not the teacher...not the person that he ultimately has to answer to.

I'm nervous. No, I'm scared. Because...I have to answer to me. It is my responsibility as the parent to make sure that he's getting his work done, to see that he's learning what he needs, and to keep up with the assignments and grading and attendance that must be turned in.

The older my boys get the more there is to do. I only THOUGHT the toddler years were busy. And they were! They were in their own way. But this kind of busy makes me tired in a way that waking up three times per night never could.

There are other issues to talk about. Issues of trying to work night shift while trying to homeschool. But that's a topic for another time.