How Do You Stay On Track?

Shhh.

Come here.

Don't say a word, okay?

We're caught up. I know! Can you believe it?? I don't want to jinx it, but we worked super hard last week and this week, we're right on track. We even did a little extra work on election day. But Zane didn't seem to mind coloring the map and watching the results come in. (Though he was as confused as we were trying to figure out how the media could "call" a state with less than 10% of precincts reporting.)

Now.

To stay on track.

I'm clueless. I wish I could offer one of those neat bullet point lists. Y'know, like:

• Make sure there are absolutely no family emergencies.
• Tell your mother you can't just not do school to come over.
• Tell your best friend (who doesn't homeschool) the same thing.
• Tell your other best friend (who does homeschool) that nice weather doesn't mean we should drop lessons for a park day. Okay. Forget that one. Nice weather and park days always trump boring lessons.
• Tell the internet to quit distracting you.

Yeah, see. I told you I'm no good at this!

So now--YOU get to make the bullet point list. What's your best tip for staying on track?

Conflict and Priorities

A second week in the life of The Horrible Homeschooler and the Ogre title is still mine. At least for part of the week.

Zane and I both had eye appointment Friday. I scheduled them on our off day. But it wasn't an off day because we missed the first day of school and had to make up a day. No big deal, I thought, we'll run to the eye doctor and come home and finish. Except we both had our eyes dilated and neither of us could read for five or six hours. That made school impossible.

Twice in the first week of school I had to postpone and make up. We only do school four days a week. The numbers weren't good.

Instead of doing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we decided to do Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Since we couldn't do Friday on Friday, we moved it to Saturday. Whew. There. All caught up and not behind the first week of school.

Then Saturday afternoon my grandma had a major stroke, a minor stroke on Sunday and several mini strokes in between. I drove the hour to the hospital on Sunday and stayed overnight with my brother because things weren't looking good. Phil met me with Zane on Monday morning (a school day) and he stayed the day with his other uncle and my nephews.

The first day of the second week of school--canceled.

I understand. I know. She's my grandma and I did the right thing. That doesn't make it less frustrating for an already Horrible Homeschooler.

To add to the stress, I had a story due on Monday that wasn't even a quarter finished.

We started the second week of school on Tuesday (and finished!!) and we did school on Wednesday (and finished!!) and did some school on Thursday. With my deadline looming and my stress level skyrocketing, a good friend offered to take Zane for the night. So he had a sleepover at their house. I had all day Friday to write (and I used it) but that meant we were behind Thursday and Friday. Again.

And then it was Labor Day weekend and we had planned to be away for most of the days.

We enter the third week of school. Late. Again.

Will we ever get it right?

But I did pick up my pinky-bling glasses. One lens was chipped and a bling was missing. My new new pair will be here in a week.

P.S. Grandma is stable, though weak and a bit more disabled from the strokes. She was released back to the nursing home a couple days ago. :) Through her existing dementia, she still recognizes everyone, which is really good.

I sound like such a whiner, I want to let you know, good things did happen. Zane hasn't been arguing (after we had a "talk" more about that next week) and we're not so far behind we can't catch up. I'm praying for a non-eventful week so we can use our *ahem* schedule.