Conference Week

I got home last night from the Mid-South Homeschooling Convention in Memphis.  It was a ton of fun.  I went by myself, without any kids or anything.  I was a little nervous about that because I've never left the girls over night before, but it was ok.  My wonderful mother-in-law came and helped my husband while he was in classes, so I didn't need to worry.  I did miss them though!

The conference itself was fun.  I enjoyed several of the lectures, especially Susan Wise Bauer and Jim Weiss.  I also really enjoyed walking around the vendor hall and seeing all there was to see.  Because Lydia is only 2 and a half, I didn't have much I could buy, but I did go ahead and buy her the preschool math program I'm planning on starting in a year and a half.  I don't know that I'm going to plan on going again any time soon, but it was definitely worth going once.

We didn't do much "school" this week, partially because I was gone for half of it.  Back in January I downloaded Funnix for free.  It's a computer program that teaches reading and Lydia loves it.  We're on lesson 9, and although it's a little over her head still, I think she's definitely enjoying it and learning things.  Every day she asks to "do letters" and would do it all day if I had the sanity to help her the whole time.  I plan on starting The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading as soon as she can grasp the material, but for now Funnix is a fun substitute. She also has totally fallen in love with Vivaldi.  She asks to listen to our Vivaldi playlist several times a day, although she calls him "Baldy."  We have also continued to read many books every day.

Some advice I was given when Lydia was a baby was that if I plan on homeschooling, I should never let Lydia give up her afternoon nap.  I should just transition it into a rest time for a few hours in the afternoon.  This has been some of the best advice I've ever been given.  Lydia hasn't napped much for about a year now, but every afternoon she plays in her room by herself for two hours.  I usually give her books and a few toys and turn on an audio book.  She has listened to Winnie the Pooh and the House on Pooh Corner all the way through several times now, and loves it.  She actually gets angry after lunch if I don't put her down IMMEDIATELY.  And I get two Lydia-free (and sometimes Ellie-free) hours in the afternoon.  It's a win-win!