Math Happiness (ya think this is a homeschooling post???)

Math is something that comes easily to both my older kids. Leroy is a number freakazoid (he can do crazy math in his head) and I have a bent for science. I will admit that I really enjoyed my Statistics class. I was also in charge of all the spreadsheets and calculations for our research project, which was my favorite thing I did there.

Last year I used a very basic math program with my kids - a quality program, but it was extremely repetitive and my kids just didn't need that. Erica really got to the point that she dreaded math. So after the recommendation of my friend Joy, I switched math curriculums this year to Singapore Math. Oh, what a joy it has been. The kids LOVE it and it really has challenged them. And honestly, it has challenged me too. More on that in a minute...

So yesterday, Ryan finished the first section of Singapore. He was so excited. So was I!


Much of his workbook looks like this. he loves to draw pictures and write exclamation marks on his paper. I love it.


When Ryan said - "Mom help me with this...", that is when I realized how much I love this curriculum! My kindergartner is doing beginning algebra!!!


And about me...when I finished my BSN at the UW, I REALLY wanted to stay to complete my masters. I agonized over it the whole time I was there. But it came down to having kids or finishing my masters. I was 26 and really wanted to start a family. I could go back to school at any point in my life, but I personally didn't want to wait any longer to start our family.

But I LOVE LOVE LOVE being in school. I taught Nursing at the community college here in town off and on, I taught nurses at my job, and my favorite part of being a nurse was educating my patients. And with each day that I homeschool my kids, I fall more and more in love with it. I am so thankful that my husband works hard so I can stay home - I tell him that all the time. And I also tell him all the time how much I LOVE homeschooling. It feeds my need to learn and teach, as well as it fulfills my calling as a mom to raise my kids. It is certainly HARD and I am thankful for my Tuesday-Night-Outs and our Wednesday-Date-Nights - but I would not change a thing!