We knew when we had kids that we planned to teach them at home. I am so glad we have made this choice.
I enjoy seeing the children grow and learn each day, and I enjoy finding materials to teach them. It will
continue to be a challenge because Rebekah and Jacob are so bright and eager to learn.
When Rebekah was a baby, I read to her a lot. She amazed us by learning basices phonics before she was 18
months old. Around the age of 2, we did some of the activities in
Before Five in a Row, and we used some
of the Rhyme-a-Week materials.
One thing she really enjoyed was the sticker books and kits we ordered from
Brighter Vision Learning Adventures.
When she was 2 1/2 I started using the School of Tomorrow's Preschool with
Ace and Christi curriculum, which we both enjoyed. Before she was 3, she was ready to learn to read, so we
did about half of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.
She took off reading, completing all 3 levels of the Bob
Books and reading everything she could get her hands on. When she was 3, we used
Bob Jones curriculum
for 1st grade. It was a great fit for her reading level. I like the math curriculum as well, but it will be a 2-year
curriculum for her at this age. We also worked on writing letters and words - something she was not really
ready for and did not enjoy. Now that Rebekah is 4, we are checking lots of books out of the library, and
she participates with Jacob in many of his Preschool activities and stories. We've relaxed on the writing,
but I have found she is doing lots of drawing and bits of writing on her own, including whole sentences
of her own with perfect spelling.
Jacob has different strengths than Rebekah. He has a high interest in physical activities, puzzles, and
math. Jacob sat and listened to stories right along with his big sister from the time he was a baby. When he
was 2 1/2, I started him on Preschool with Ace and Christi, and he seems to enjoy it even more than Rebekah did.
He really enjoys memorizing Bible verses, and he loves to recite them every night before bed. So far he knows
all of Psalm 100 and a selection of verses from Luke.
I've been doing a lot of research on Classical Education and I think I am going to head in that direction.
It is a lot more flexible than many of the curriculums that are out there. We are considering using
Sonlight or
The Well-Trained Mind
or possibly combining them next year. One of the biggest advantages to
doing this is that the kids will be able to much of their school together. They enjoy this, and it will
mean less work for me. (I hope!)
