happy chaos

 I am homeschooling my 3 oldest children. Henry age 12, Ilyana age 8, and Acheron age 7. I am also a mother to my darling 2 year old Tabitha. Henry is doing very well his favorite subject is Algebra (got that from his daddy).  Ilyana loves math and art. Acheron has ADHD and loves any vehicle that goes fast.

   I made the decision to pull them out of public school when my eldest Little Henry was in 2nd grade, he got bored during reviews and played with a pencil at his desk. His teacher wanted him medicated to slow him down. I refused. The principal ordered him tested for the gifted and talented class, however his teacher tested him for adhd instead. He didn't have it. She then held him up as an example of what not to be to the entire class. He had no friends and Nothing I did helped. I had parent teacher meetings, went to the principal, requested a new teacher for my son, complained to the superintendent all to no avail.

  Since beginning homeschool I have seen my children learn to look forward to learning. My daughter Ilyana and her little brother Acheron frequently ask if they can do their workbooks and such on weekends. We discovered that Ilyana has a passion for Art. Little Henry wants to own a restaurant when he gets older that serves healthy good tasting food and is a comfortable place for adults to relax while the kids play in a large arcade inside. He got the idea from chuck e cheeses but says he thinks the food could be better and healthier. Ilyana wants to have an art gallery with a studio in back. Acheron fluctuates between wanting to be a police officer, fire fighter, mechanic, and truck driver.

  Acheron is a very active and loud 7 year old. I have recently made the decision to take him off meds. His adhd medication was an amphetamines and that just didn't set well with me.
   Last year I tried every way i could think of to teach him to read and was just beating my head on a brick wall. I checked out books to try to find new ways to teach but nothing clicked. Finally I found a educational site that had a learn to read game and other subjects. On it he would read the stories but if a word stumped him he could click on it and it would sound it out with him. Suddenly learning clicked for him. He started reading so well and quickly with that game and doing math that when we tried using workbooks to do was beyond him. His word opened up when we accepted he learned differently. This year we mixed the two, some workbooks but also a lot of online learning that involved educational games and programs. His self esteem is soaring and I couldn't be prouder.

  I will try to post more of our lives and adventures to let others learn from our successes and trials. Maybe this will help someone or inspire someone along the way.