rate of learning

As I sit here writing this, (like this very second,) THIS is my view--


I am at the beach getting in a little writing and supervising my children as they have "homeschool phys ed." This is definitely one of the perks of homeschooling. It also helps that I remembered to bring my camera and I can now tether my phone to my computer to have internet wherever I am. Moving up in the world.

I was very hesitant to latch onto the idea of homeschooling. I've done it before and it's a lot of work. But ever since the robbery, I've not been 100% comfortable with sending my (American) kids out to Haitian school again. I am not saying that I will never be comfortable with it again, but I am just not comfortable now. (The reasons are another conversation for another day.) So shortly after returning to the states in November, we started homeschooling.

When we started, I was surprised that while my kids are smart (don't think I am saying they are stupid), that there was VERY BASIC information about the English language they did not understand our grasp. I maybe sort of dropped the ball on the whole teaching them English thing. (Well not maybe, definitely.) So these past few months have been good for that. And really, we've started to get into a good groove.

And when we got back to Haiti, the groove just kind of stuck. It's not that I love schooling my kids every day... because yeah, I don't love it every day. But I love that they are learning new things and that I am the one who teaches them. It's (without a doubt) more exciting for me to see my boys starting to really pick up reading than it is for them.

An added bonus are days like today-- where we finished our scheduled "book work" pretty early and decided that heading out for a bit of exercise and fresh air would be a good idea. (Plus, Nick was starting go batty with all the kid noise in the house while he was trying to take some down time.) It's quite lovely out here. I ABSOLUTELY love Haiti in January.

In spite of all these positive things I have to say about homeschooling, there has been one distressing thing to me. (And that's actually what I sat down to write about when I opened the computer.)

The problem I am currently experiencing is that my kids are learning at different paces.

I know this is normal, but in some areas, Josiah is getting ready to pass Nico. And it's making me feel really uncomfortable.

I don't know why Nico doesn't seem to grasp new concepts as quickly as Josiah and I know that it's unfair to my kids to not teach them at the level where they are. But still, I do not like the idea of Josiah being "ahead" of Nico in school.

That probably sounds really dumb and like I am overreacting, but I am feeling insecure about this... like I've not done a good enough job with Nico to help him overcome some of his learning challenges. ("Mom guilt" is the pits, isn't it?)

My sister, Gretchen, has this sign posted in her (homeschool) classroom. I love the words. I am going to post it in our home (in English and Kreyol) and make our kids memorize it. And while they are at it, I probably should memorize it too...