Moving on and letting go...

I came across this today at Soulemama's blog:

Moving on and letting go is scary and good all at the same time...even when we're just talking about yarn. But it does always feel very, very good. New beginnings are exciting.

Be sure to read the rest of the post here.

And I swear that is just what I needed to hear today. I know exactly what she means in terms of life, and in terms of yarn. You see, I haven't been too happy with the way our homeschooling curriculum has been going. It's got some great stuff. I have found though, that we need something more.

What we've been using has felt incomplete, rushed in many ways, and not really connecting with us. It didn't "fit". I knew that something had to give - so I am prepared to unravel it all if necessary to find a fit for us. So, I figured I would look into Unit Studies (a vast switch from where we were before - a combo of well-trained mind/eclectic/unschooling) and other options.

And then, I found this:
http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/

The big negative for me, is that it is a bit more than I'd like to spend. Although, it seems worth it. And, when you look at the time I've spent researching and planning, finding the right books - this is worth it to me. And there are various pricing options - I don't have to buy the entire kit and kaboodle.

I also like that it is 36 weeks of plans - which saves me time. Although, it is planned, and set up for each day, which isn't as flexible as we've been. If it relieves my stress though, and we can take our time with it - so that isn't a bad thing. And, according to the time requirements, we should still have time if we want to pursue other interests.

What I love, is that it combines many things that I've been drawn to - Waldorf, Montessori, Unschooling, and creative thinking. It also alleviates my fear that I'm missing something, because the national requirements are covered. It saves time planning and researching. Hubby loves it. I love the whole teaching concepts and the way the lessons are broken down. I love how the more I look into it, the more it appeals to me.

To sign up for it means that we'd be getting a late start to the year (although not really when you read about the program - that's the beauty of it), because Pook would be doing the 6-8 whereas 5-7 would be like average first grade.

It also means, that there is a strong possibility Squeak can use it too, because it's interdisciplinary, set up for various grade levels, hands on, and uses auditory, kinetic and visual. Plus, I just love the topics and books it uses.

It means letting go, and starting over, which is hard, as we've already invested in books for Pook this year. So I'm trying not to think about money that's been wasted (although, as most homeschooling families know, sometimes you will go through various curriculum in a year). It also means a bit more commitment on my part.

And you know what? I'm okay with that. Sometimes, you need to unravel things all the way, or a few bits, and start over to make something new or improve on the original.

I've yet to find something about this program, other than the price, that has been negative (for me). In all aspects it's eerily exactly what I've been looking for when I realized the other stuff wasn't working.

Updated: We took the plunge and placed the order. Let the unraveling continue...