Mid winter blahs

I think I have the mid winter blahs. School has been very up and down since we started back up 2 weeks ago. We have had some really good days and one day where I really considered sending my oldest to school. Things have been mostly better, but I am still feeling down, so I think it must be the winter thing. It has been cold and snowy here since we got back from visiting family in Florida 3 weeks ago. For the past 3 winters, we have lived in Colorado. During those winters we got some snow, but usually it melted in a day or two. We have also gotten used to occasional 70 degree days throughout the winter.

I really do feel better about how school is going and I have tried to relax a bit. I am not as structures as some. I don't used a packaged curriculum. We don't do every subject everyday. And I try to be flexible when our schedule needs it. We only do one topic at a time (History, Science, Music, Art, Literature), but I have been trying to do all of the skill areas every day (Math, Spelling, Reading, Grammar, and Handwriting). Getting to every skill area every day is tough, especially since those are the areas that get the most complaints.

Side note: My oldest has been complaining so much lately that when we read about the Moses and the Israelites today in SOTW, my middle said that her sister was like an Israelite!

So, I am trying to come up with a plan to do each skill area, but not every one, every day. We normally have a co-op once a week, so we only "do school" 4 days a week. Perhaps, I could plan to skip one area each day, hum... that may work.

I know I can't go totally unschooly, but I do want to try and relax a bit and incorporate the skill areas into the topics. I hate that the math curriculums are based on 5 days a week, 36 week school years. I don't like having to pick and chose to get done for the year. I am not comfortable getting "behind." I know I shouldn't worry, but in Colorado we have to test every other year starting in 3rd grade- this year for my oldest. I think maybe that is part of my stress. I want her to do well, so I will know I am doing a good job.

Tomorrow is another day, we are planning to have pretend Passover Seder. Hopefully it will be fun and not stressful.