Thinking outside of the box

Right now, I am writing this at a restaurant, and I wanted to order "Paneer Tikka", and Indian dish that is basically cheese cubes barbequed in Tikka sauce.  It wasn't on the menu.  I did however notice that they had "Chicken Tikka" on the menu and a different paneer dish as well on the menu.  So, I asked if they would be willing to make me Paneer Tikka.   They were!  Yum!  This is one of my favorite meals, and I wouldn't be eating it if I had stuck to the menu.

          The reason I bring this up, is that as homeschool moms, sometimes we can get "stuck on the menu".  We can become curriculum obsessed, and feel like we can't think outside of those terms.  I was like this for many years.  I was stuck in the idea that I had to follow the curriculum word for word (they literally put in the words to say as the teacher).     (Ironically they didn't put in the words to say if you were met with any resistance, boredom, or just plain NO!) 
     
   Eventually, I realized that there is no "Homeschool Police" ---at least, not yet!--- looking over your shoulder to see if your child did every math problem, or just did a few on the sheet.  No one cared what my Kindergartener's "grades" were in Reading, Language, or Math.  Even when I put my children into public school for a year, they didn't even ask for their "grades", but just placed them at the grade level that I told them they were in and they did fine.  A transcript doesn't really matter until high school.  Before that point, grades are really more of a nuisance, if you feel like you have to "grade" every paper your child does.  You can easily look at their work and see where they need more practice and what they understand already without assigning a number or letter to it.  And if they "fail" in that, it's OK!  Just repeat the lesson, again and again and again if needed until it's a "pass".  You can continue this until it's 100% understood if you want!!

        I'm getting off on a tangent.  The point is, you can think outside of the box.

           No....... YOU MUST THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!  Think "off menu".  Pick and choose what works for you and your child? 

               But HOW, you ask?  Ok, stick with the curriculum.  For now.  Order what's on the menu.  You might like what's on it.  Or, parts of it.  Parts of it you and your child may hate.  So, try something else next time.  Don't be afraid to mix it up, and use different resources for different subjects or interests.  If you want to use a boxed curriculum to begin because it feels safer, please do so.  But, by all means, feel free to branch out once you feel comfortable with your child's learning style and your teaching style.