I’m sure you guys have caught glimpses here and there in my stories- but I wanted to give you guys a full update… Olivia is HOMESCHOOLING AGAIN!!! We are so excited for her and are looking forward to having the best year! We have always said that with multiple children, education would never be a “one size fits all” for them, so this wasn’t a super difficult decision to make for us.
This is a conversation that started for us during Nutcracker season last year. Olivia spends a ton of time at ballet and thinks this could be something she wants to pursue even past her high school years. With that being said, Nutcracker season was a lot of later rehearsals and longer nights for our family, but it was probably the most taxing on our little nine year old at the time. There were some days (two I can recall) that she stayed home from school just to catch up on sleep. Fortunately for us, her school hours were 9-2, Monday through Thursday so that couldn’t have been better, but once we finished Nutcracker season, we went straight into competition season as she prepared for both YAGP and ADCIBC competitions. This involved some travel, and we spent a full week in St.Petersburg, Florida when she qualified for and competed in finals there. After competition season ended, we went straight into rehearsals for Swan Lake. I’m sure a lot of you are thinking, “well maybe pull back on some of the activities,” but as her parents we are at a place where we just want to match her efforts. This is in her words – “her passion” and something she truly loves and enjoys.
Her ballet studio is having auditions for a day program that will be beginning this fall, so we are hoping this could be a next step for her to focus more intently on her ballet training while still having her nights and weekends home with her family. If she doesn’t make it in this year, we will continue to homeschool her and participate in the night program. We feel it will be easier on us all if her school schedule is more flexible. Y’all- we miss her so I for one am really excited!!
Ok so next thing- what curriculum are we using… So y’all know that when we homeschooled for five years we were hardcore Charlotte Mason. We love that style of learning so much for our kids that we helped start a Charlotte Mason school in our area, and this is where our boys will continue to go as well as where Vivi will go year after next. We can’t say enough amazing things about this little school and the things God is doing there. While I would love for Olivia to continue this type of education, it takes a lot of planning and preparation, and it would require me to be her sole teacher again. One thing we learned while she was in school last year was that we got a lot closer when I was NOT her teacher. So- this year we are enrolled in and accredited online homeschool program called Enlightium Academy. It is fully online, and she logs in each day and can complete it all from her computer.
We decided to let her begin her homeschooling curriculum this summer so she would have more time to complete her year. We feel that this would allow for needed breaks during performance and competition times. She is SO EXCITED!! I am still very much present and getting her acclimated and as we get further in, I will be for sure sharing more!! We got all of her notebooks ( one of her first lessons was on taking notes ), her binders, and all of her fun little school supplies. We even ordered her microscope that she will be needing for some of her lab assignments. I think Charlie was more excited about this so she told him he can participate in that with her.
Thank you guys for always being so supportive and excited for the things happening in our family! When making decisions about your kid’s education, I don’t think it’s ever something you take lightly, but with prayer and family discussions, we feel this is the best thing for Olivia right now and we truly are so excited!
