An answer to a comment section question, in case anyone else is interested

First, let me thank you all profusely for your thoughts and prayers on our house hunting/selling. I need every single one of them to keep me on an even keel (which I am not, lol, keep 'em coming).

Now for the question. Jenn asked:

When you say OM crashed and burned, do you just mean you need some breaks, or the whole approach isn't working? Is this different than previous years, or is this a similar pattern? How are your kids reacting? Is this just one-sided or both?

Jenn, I *think* the approach is working. We are only three weeks in, so it is hard to tell. It seems to be working better than anything else had for my 11yo (dyslexic, LDs, creative, etc). My 9yo is a very, very workbooky "fill in the blanks" type of girl, and she is balking a bit. "Where are my workbooks, Mom? Are we ever going to get workbooks back?" Now, I'm sticking with Oak Meadow for her because she really needs to learn to be more flexible. She is a rigid thinker, and also on the (shhhh) lazy side. She is all about doing the absolute least work possible, so she loves workbooks. She's smart, so she can do them without thinking. I *want* her to think, so we are sticking with Oak Meadow, LOL! My 6yo is pretty advanced, and Oak Meadow 1st grade is very "gentle" - so there is a bit of a lack of fit there too. But I understand where they are coming from on that, so we plug on. For her I need to learn how to add more, not subtract what is beautiful about the OM 1st grade (we are also doing Serendipity stuff as we have time)

So basically, it's mostly MY problem. I've been having a lot of anxiety attacks, being set off by stupid stuff. It's like I can only "hold my breath" and plow ahead with school for so long before I need to stop and crash, or in nicer words, breathe. Kind of like the kids who can hold it together all day at school and then fall apart when they come home. This is a very similar pattern to other years, but I'm finally seeing that I can PLAN it this way and deal well enough for three weeks at a time, especially when I know a break is coming.

I will say this is the first year I've had three students doing three totally different things (although all Oak Meadow, they're all in their own grades for everything). Add in a 4yo (who at least is having fun working with her 6yo sister) and a 1yo who is entering that "I'm going to get in trouble all day long and there's nothing you can do to stop me" stage, and I'm primed for a crazy time. Whoops, I mean, "an adventure." Yeah, that's it. ;-)

Hope that answered your question, Jenn!