Riding the emotional see-saw.

"I don't often question whether I'm doing the right thing, just whether I'm doing it the right way,"

I read that in one of the (many) homeschooling books I've read in the past few months, and it's really stuck with me because it is *exactly* how I feel about a lot of things in my life. I know I'm doing the "right thing" by having Family Home Evening, but I wonder if I'm doing it in a way that will "stick" with my kids. I know I'm doing the right thing by homeschooling, but I wonder if I'm doing it the "right" way that will fit my childrens' unique learning styles while at the same time not driving me absolutely bonkers.

The time has come to start ordering the remaining pieces of curriculum I need to have a well-rounded 1st grade course, and it's putting knots in my stomach. Will this spelling program "click" with Raia? Will the manupulatives (i.e. blocks) that come with the math program be too confusing for her to use? How in the world am I going to organize and keep track of all of this? Just a few weeks ago I was feeling all prepped and ready to jump into this new journey with both feet, and now I'm doubting.

It doesn't help that Raia's been wanting to have playdates with her friends lately. She's so social, and I worry about doing enough to feed that side of her while we homeschool. Will she hate me for taking her away from her school friends? Will she hate homeschooling because it's just her and mom and her siblings? She loves her brothers, but she wants a sister (she asks for one often). All of her classmates like her. I know part of that is because it's only Kindergarten, and as the years pass the kids will start to develope a pecking order. We're looking into Girl Scouts as an option for her to have some social time away from family and with kids her own age and gender.

Most of all though I just hope she'll see my good intentions in all of this.