Being Realistic

A veteran homeschooler told me a year ago, 'you cannot go deeply into everything, you cannot specialize in every subject- you will have to pick or drown.'

Urgh. I hate it when others are right! There's no possible way I can focus on learning French fast and deep enough to teach my children to be bilingual. I know all the arguments of raising children with two languages, the positives and negatives but I'm waving my white flag. I surrender. No more French until after Latin studies.

Another factor is that I do not have the support I thought I would have, not even from Camille, who loves learning French but also wants to learn Italian and Spanish and just flits from one language to the next without a thought! So. French is being put on hold until after Latin. Ideally, I would like Latin to continue until the kids can take the either the National Latin Exam or have the equivalent of high school Latin accomplished. There are too many benefits of studying Latin over other languages.

I've let go of a few other things. I cannot micromanage my kids all the time. It sucks the joy of life right out of me. Character training, although it sounds all wonderful and nice to study, will be done more informally and natural. I do want to use something like Young Peacemaker by Corlette Sande at some point unless I find something else more suitable for us.

What is important? Reading, writing, math and curiosity! Service learning, actively being a part of change for the positive. If we're going to focus on those things, other things will have to take seat further down on the list of priorities. I've learned the hard way that although what others do sounds nice, it may just be nice for them. I'm sure my wake-up call hasn't even happened in the fullest yet, Danny will be home next year. Woo boy. Literally, wooo BOY.