Reading Round Up!

We are finishing up unit 2 in LHFHG this week. As I mentioned we decided try something different with Eli and his reading. 

Last week when it came time to sit down and do his reading lesson it was like a war had just broke out.  My school loving 4 year old would turn into a tantrum throwing toddler and nothing...NOTHING would get him to focus. 

I was dreading reading time and I knew he was as well. Obviously, we needed to change something.

I kept questioning whether we had the right reading program for his learning style or if it was just laziness on his part. 

As I have quickly learned my little boy learns best with hands on material. I have to sandwich in the sit down subjects in between active hands on activities. 

Mostly this just means more creative thinking on my part! ;)

So to start off we decided to take a little break from his reading book. Although we have been working on reading on and off through the summer we had yet to dive into it everyday. 

So after a week of book lessons and lots of tears and frustration this momma decided to take another route.

First, I want him to still do the program we started. So we are just stepping away from it for a time to get a good foundation down.

This week we have hit the flash cards for review on the words he has already been introduced to. I have tried to get him reading them more by making it into a fun game.

Trust me, "Eli we have a reading game to do next!" goes over much better then "grab your reading book.". 

Next week we will do a couple lessons in his reading book and continue his hands on reading the other days.

I can't tell you how much easier this week has been without the struggle over getting him to read! And really I feel like he has made great progress and built more confidence in himself.

Here are a few pictures from this week's reading progress!

Hop Scotch Reading!

First Week of Little Hearts For His Glory

We have started our first official year of school!

Our main curriculum this year is Little Hearts For His Glory from Heart of Dakota.

I could not be more pleased with how well it is going so far! 

 The kids are loving it and I am loving how much they are absorbing. 

The material is biblically based, focusing on verse memory while getting all the subjects in.

I also love how flexible the program is too. We are using our own Phonics program and working through it at our own pace. Eli wont be 5 until November so I don't want to rush him into learning to read.

With that said he really is doing a fabulous job and surprising his mommy that's for sure!

I know it's only a couple weeks in, but I have already heard (several times I may add!) "I love school so much!". 

Yay! Makes my very new homeschooling mommy heart happy to hear those words! 

Here are the munchkins on their first day!

Gearing Up for Kindergarten!

Photo from mycutegraphics.com

This year Eli will be starting his Kindergarten workbooks! Last year we did lots of letter and number projects, but didn't follow a particular program. If we were sending Eli to school he wouldn't start Kindergarten till next year due to his birthday being in November. 

As I was looking over curriculum I knew a preschool program would be too easy for him. So we ordered (still waiting on some stuff) the Little Hearts For His Glory Kindergarten program by Heart of Dakota.

I am loving how Eli is getting so excited to start school! I mean he is literally over the moon, jumping up and down excited when a new book arrives in the mail! 

I have to say that is the best thing to see as new homeschool mom just starting up!