Finishing Strong Month Four

Helloooo and welcome to month four of Finishing Strong, my attempt at finishing everything I’ve started before moving on to the next stage of my life. If you read my first post (A Homeschool Journey Coming to an End), you’ll know I am attempting to complete the following ten things:

• Finish homeschool well
• Finish my master’s degree in childhood and youth studies
• Finish my romance novel
• Finish my Mesopotamia Unit Study
• Finish my Mesopotamia Picture Book
• Update all of the 2000 blog posts on my website
• Add all of these updated blog posts to my Instagram
• Add all these updated blog posts to my Pinterest account
• Create a product to sell each month and open a shop on my website
• Declutter our cottage

It seems to be that I hyper focus on one or two of the ten things each month. April has been all about my children’s book, my blog and my master’s degree.

Month two’s update can be found here.

Finishing Strong Month Four YouTube Video

Month three’s update can be found here

Finishing Strong Week Four: Notes

Homeschooling Teens: GCSEs, Creativity, and Independence

Abigail is on the last leg of her revision for GCSEs which she sits next month. So for her school has been about doing many many past papers. Rebecca is still working at her dragon corset and whilst I think she will be pleased when it is over and done with, it has definitely taught her a great deal.

She’s also been working at her art and design level two diploma, and has tried out charcoal for the first time (above and below), as well as oil pastels (below):

She kinda puts my efforts at painting to shame, doesn’t she?!

Learning as a Homeschool Mum: Study, Research, and Focus

Master’s Degree in Childhood and Youth Studies

I have to write a 13000 word research proposal and so far I’ve written 21000 words. Don’t be too horrified though as this is fairly normal for me. I usually write a very verbal assignment and then cull 50% of the words to create an assignment I’m not too embarrassed to hand in.

This means I have to get it written very early on because editing takes me SO. LONG. TO. DO.

I study religiously every morning for an hour and I have until September to hand it in, so I think everything is on track.

Mesopotamia Unit Study

I did so much work on this last month so I don’tr feel too bad about the small amount I have done this month. In April, I have created an archeological dig downloadable pack and a board game. I also made a video about how to create an excape room to go along with your history unit study:

However, I’ve not done a huge amount of writing. So next month will be all about the writing!

Mesopotamia Picture Book

Now this has gone very very well! I’ve spent many happy hours creating the first three pages of my children’s book. These are not finished yet, especially the one at the bottom, but are definitely getting there:

I have a full outline of the story, corresponding sketches and a character list. I’m really excited about this project!

Romance Novel

I’ve done very little towards this during April

Decluttering our Cottage

I’m still going through the book case in the hallway:

We’re getting there but very slowly.

Blog/Instagram and Pinterest

I did well with this and updated a blog post every single day and added it to my Instagram and to two pinterest boards. Tick, tick and tick.

Shop

I think Gary and I have definitely decided to get a Shopify shop so I need to do that before adding any products.

Finishing Strong Week Four: Conclusion

I am beginning to notice that I seem to hyper focus on one or two items and jog along with the others. This is okay, I think, and speaks to a personality which has always tended towards an all or nothing mentality. Last month (March), I did super well with the Mesopotamia unit study whereas this month I have focused more or my children’s book and updating blog posts. I’m hoping it will even itself out over the 18 months.