Update - adjustments to expectations

I am finding with the little kids....its pretty "easy" and straight forward. Basic math, reading, spelling words, handwriting, and reading science to them, etc. I did not learn how to diagram sentences, so that's new for me....but as I teach the 3rd grader, its very basic and the book actually provides a script for you to read to teach the student if you don't actually KNOW it yourself...which is working fine. (and with the time the spend in class, the entire "load" isn't on me/us to teach them *everything* all the time).

For my 8th grader, I'm finding myself *directly* working with her (reading to her, watching videos with her, explaining as we go....holding her accountable) for probably up to about 12 hours a week (approximately 3 hours on each of the home-school days) on ALGEBRA alone.

AND then she does 3 hours a week with a math teacher (not me).

And then she works *alone* (after our dual time) on her algebra problems for about an hour each home-school day. So she has 15 hours of direct (teacher or hovering mom) algebra instruction a week; she's spending SOME of that time PLUS an additional 3-6 hours/week on her own.

This is singularly the most time and labor intensive subject/child at this time with the homeschool curriculum.....

But her attitude about math is very positive. And she's doing well. She currently has an 88% in algebra as determined by the math teacher (not me). So....I'll take that....

And she's only TWELVE!!! And that's just algebra. She does debate (which is a combo of public speaking and arguing a point); she does fencing; she does music (harp and piano); orchestra; cotillion; and she DOES have other academic subjects (Language Arts, US History, Physical Science; and she's in 2 choirs....

....she's very busy. But her time is very well-spent.

Her TIME on homeschool days:

• Algebra - 2-4 hours/day (depends on difficulty, her focus, and time until the test).  
• Piano - performance plus theory time study (goal 2 hours/day; actual about 1.5 hours/day)
• Harp - performance/solo, technique, plus orchestra music (Sunday 2 hours.  Mon-Wed 1 hour/day. Friday 1.5 hours.  Saturday about 1 hour/day).  Goal is actually 1.5 hours/day but some days are too busy to work in more than 15 minutes.

How time is spent in general:

• Choir - 2.5 hours once a week of practice.  
• Cotillion - one meeting a month typically for 1.5 hours.
• recitals and performances
• Debate time - 3 hours one night a week with the group; 2 hours one night a week with her partner.  Then about 2 hours of work to do in her "own" time through-out the week to prepare for these "meetings."  
• Fencing - 2 hours, 3 times/week (sometimes less on one of the days). 
• Jack and Jill - community service, leadership.  She cannot attend the meetings since the time conflicts with orchestra practice, but she does participate in the once per month community service or other activity if possible. 

Action items:  

focus more on Language Arts (sentence diagramming and such along side Ian).
condence algebra study time to make it more efficient.
Still would like to start extra vocabulary, pick up Latin and Spanish again - but the math is more time/labor intensive than anticipated.