Dear, Sweet, Adventurers,
Thank you so much for sharing your gracious words with us! You have encouraged and uplifted more than you will ever know! This past year was filled with so many lessons for us. We are amazed when we look back on our lives to see where God has brought us! Every educational, professional, and spiritual experience of our lives has come to a beautiful sort of fruition this year. Have you ever wondered what you were doing in a certain place and in a certain time - why God put you there? Amid the pressure, headaches, tears, discouragement, and exhaustion of this year was a wonderful peace that we were doing the right thing. Our pastor shared the example of sometimes feeling like you are driving on a dark road - you cannot see beyond your headlights - and that is not very far!! We have moved along as God has provided the light, but this year it was just as if God turned on the High Beams! We knew so clearly what He had called us to do and how He had planned it all along. What a Mighty God we Serve!!
John has kept me up to date on some of your messages and with each note shared, I want to remind you that one person's experience may not be another's. Just as we have to be careful not to compare our children to others, we need to remember that each of our experiences with homeschooling will be very unique. Do not be discouraged if your children did not "latch on" to something that came easily to others. For example, the time involved in your school day will be different each day and for each person. One of THE MOST frequently asked questions is "How much time will this take each day?" That is SOOOOO hard to answer because I do not know all of your children personally. One thing that I ALWAYS tell parents is that if it is your goal to be finished with school by noon every day - forget homeschooling! That can NEVER be our goal! We want our children to have a WONDERFUL, FULL, and COMPLETELY RICH education and we cannot accomplish that by reading for 10 minutes in each subject every day. You and your child will get from this school year exactly what you put into it. A World of Adventure starts out very simply - just like any teacher begins class for the year. It will get more challenging as you move throughout your year. The reason it is so easy to use, is because the planning is done for the parent, but that does not mean the time spent with your children will be minimal. Remember, some parents really want to read and participate in every subject with their children, and for them, this is a realistic goal. For other moms, this is more like IMPOSSIBLE - and their children will be working more independently. So when you see a note from another mom that indicated how short a particular day was, keep in mind that you and your children are not those people! I hope you all see how important it is to keep a proper perspective and not compare the experiences of others with your school experience. I have been impressed with your comments to one another. I really like that you all seem to learn from, and encourage one another without self-condemnation. What a GREAT attitude! Keep it up ladies!
Now for the second most frequently asked question: What's in the next book??????
The following book (A New World of Adventure) will pick up where A World of Adventure ends. It will cover early American History: Jamestown, The Pilgrims of Plymouth, Early Colonization of New England, the French & Indian War, the American Revolution, and the Constitution. The books are meant to be used sequentially. It has long been my opinion that we all learn better when we study history chronologically, instead of hopping all around. It gives us a feeling of completeness and satisfaction when we understand how the events of history truly were connected. As for science and the other subjects . . . I will have to surprise you all later with those (when I figure them out myself!!) The final three books in the Adventure Series will continue on through American History, but as we go, we will examine events around the world as well, to see how everything "fits together."
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you as you each embark on your wonderful journey this year! May each moment spent learning and sharing with your precious children be valuable and memorable.
Dorian
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