A Day In The Life Of A Homeschooling Family :: The Crnich Family

:: Tell us a little about your family, how long you have been homeschooling and the ages of your children.

My name is Jessie, and my husband is Mark. We have 4 kids: Aubrey , 8, Blaise, 7, Clara, 5, and Dominic, 2. We are novices when it comes to homeschooling as this is our first year. Aubrey went to public school for 2 years, and Blaise went for one. Clara has never been to "school."

:: Do you use a particular method?  Share with us a few of your favorite curriculum.

We are not fully one method. However, we lean closer to the classical model than anything else. Basically, this year has been survival mode. I have enjoyed Story of the World for history. We also subscribed to Sonlight for this year. I don't think we will do Sonlight next year, because I felt like I was only able to get a small portion of it done. I enjoyed most of the read aloud a with the program, and I modified the curriculum to better suit our needs. 

:: Are you involved in a co-op, and/or do you participate in homeschool groups?

We do not do any coops. We belong to Fox Valley Homeschool meet up page. I enjoy the flexibility of coming and going when we please. In the future, we might do a coop when I have a better handle on homeschooling. 

:: Do you follow a strict schedule, predictable rhythm, or do you work your lessons around that day's activities?

We have a predictable rhythm to the day. We still go out during the day for various activities, but I try to make sure that we get (some) school work done for the day. 

:: How long does it take you to do school everyday?

Each day is different with the amount of school time we have. Monday's and Tuesday's are our long days where we usually work a traditional school day. The rest of the week we probably put in 4 hours of school work. To be honest, I cannot determine how much school we should be doing. I don't know if I'm doing too much, too little or the right amount. 

:: What advice would you give to other homeschooling families?

I'm a newbie when it comes to homeschooling, so I don't have much advice. I think taking it day by day has worked for me. One day can be horrible, but don't let that predict your next day. 

:: Would you share a little bit about your involvement with Girl Scouts? 

I'm a coleader for a Girl Scout troop. We have 24 girls in our troop. Yes, it is absolutely crazy. Aubrey is the only homeschooler within our troop, because our troop is linked to our local elementary. Within Girl Scouts, we guide the girls into forming healthy relationships with their peers, families and community. This year our community service was to beautify the school grounds. We picked up garbage and planted flowers. We also learn about the environment. This year we completed the water badge where we learned about ways to conserve water and the importance of having clean drinking water. 

Thank you, Jessica, for taking the time out of your busy day to share with us!

Channon