2020 In Review

It started out normal.  It was a fun year homeschooling Blake and Kira.  We loved our co-op, countless playdates.  It was a year filled with friends, parks, lunches and adventures.  There are all different classifications of how people homeschool; eclectic, charlotte mason, unschooling.  If I could make up one it would be village eclectic homeschooling.  In many ways it is magical.  Public school is so many hours. It is hard to fit in playdates everyday but with homeschooling it is that.  I am so grateful for the women in our village and their children.  

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Blake was a different kid in 2nd compared to 1st.  He was relatively happy.  Still anxious here and there but able to live a normal childhood.  It is amazing to compare one year to the next and fills me with gratitude to recognize his growth and increase in happiness. Soo Grateful!  

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The greatest challenge is homeschooling with Parker and Hanna.  Someone is always getting the short end of the stick.  Parker is exhausting.  Run, Run, Run, Run!!  Non-stop, all the time.  He is text book super ADHD!  Once I started reading and learning about ADHD it helped me understand him.  Helped me be more patient with him and helped me recognize how to help and parent him.  I lived in a generation that didn't diagnose or even really know about ADHD but would have been your typical ADHD diagnosis.  Grateful for very patient friends who helped me, encouraged me and loved him for him.  One day he is going to be very successful at whatever he chooses to do. We just need to get him through childhood first.  

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We started looking for homes in Walnut Creek at the end of 2019. It was something we just felt was right. We couldn't find the right home.  One felt right, but it didn't work out.  Right when we were going to take a break, we found the perfect home.  Miracles happened in order for us to get the home.  I was with my neighbor yesterday who was the realtor who sold the home and she said she just knew it was meant to go to us.  I know that is true.  We are soo blessed!

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So we got ready to rent our home which was difficult because our purchase got delayed and the renters needed a place to live.  With patience and faith it worked out.

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We moved right when the pandemic was in its first lockdown.  I was coaching at Woodlands, there were so many unknowns of our season and the lockdown.  I had an AMAZING director who was so easy to work with and did so much for our team.  We ran camps and clinics and made the most of an unusual season.  I missed the meets and energy that brings, but felt grateful the kids got to do something amidst having so little normalcy.  

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We homeschooled everyone but Scott.  There was quite the adjustment with Tyler.   Everything has slowed down.  In some ways it has been a blessing, totally against my nature but I think we are all looking forward to things opening up and having some normalcy.  I am super grateful we have a large family so our kids have each other.  I can't imagine what it would be like without them.  Homeschooling looks so different compared to last year but that is ok.  It is what it is.  I am going to give a post to each kids for the year. 

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Scott made friends right away from swim.  They were nice kids, but not the right group for him.  One thing I LOVE about Scott is he is true to himself.  He knows who he is, what he stands for and doesn't feel the need to fit into a group which isn't the right fit for him. I don't know where that comes from, but I think it is an amazing trait.  As soon as drama ensues, he removes himself.  He decided to hang out with us instead of friends on Halloween and was so happy.  He said the best part was talking with his dad as we walked the streets and trick-or-treated with my kids and Heather.  I think that is so cool.  He is so smart. We tried to homeschool but I couldn't figure out the classes and requirements for him so he is at Northgate.  It has been nice that it is one less thing on my plate and he has structure.  The teachers are all doing an amazing job converting things to online but honestly, the schooling is pretty sub-par for him.  They don't let freshman take accelerated courses or honors courses and so it is another year of boredom for him.  He rarely studies for classes, tuned in for about 1-2 months but come November was pretty done.  He still did things, but wasn't challenged.  Not a bad problem to have but I do think it leads to bad habits from being bored.  He wants to take an online class next semester so I am going to see if I can find something for him.  Best part of the year for him is Aquabears.  He LOVES it!  He started in Todd's group which was perfect for him but after sometime wanted more of a challenge.  He moved into a faster group and it was great.  He broke his arm the beginning of December and that has been hard for him.  He is now getting back into it but his shoulder hurts but in time he will get back to where he was.  He loves the kids, the coaches, the program.  I feel so grateful!  He has never loved swimming like he does now.  The best part is that he is surrounded by great kids, great coaches and a program that teaches amazing life skills.  I hope each of my kids finds something that they love through their high school experience.

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Tyler had a really hard time the beginning of the homeschool experience.  He pretty much hated life.  He had no friends from the summer, felt confined to his home and not going to school was an adjustment.  We found another online program for him and that went better.  He made a good friend from the neighborhood who he goes on bike rides with daily. Next semester, I found some good curriculum which I think he will like and overall I think it has actually been good for him to have more time with his siblings. In Brentwood, it was always hard to have him home with his siblings, but he did great with his friends and at school.  I think he needed to learn to be a peacemaker at home.  When school and friends were taken away, he needed to change habits and relationships and the pandemic forced that. I think overall it has been a good thing for him.

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Kira is doing well.  She made friends in the summer with swim.  Was invited to do things with Paisley and her friends a lot and has been relatively happy being at home, going on hikes and learning.  I think she will love middle school next year and make some great friends and enjoy learning.  

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Blake is doing well as well.  He has a lot of 7-8 boys that live right by us which I feel so grateful for.  He is doing well in school, a pretty good friend and grown a lot.

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Parker is Parker.  He has no interest in sitting or learning.  I think he has dyslexia and spent a lot of time stressing over his inability to learn.  I am still working on things with him but also realize it is what it is.  Academics has been easy for all my kids and he is the first kid that I think academically might be challenging just because of how his brain is set up.  He is overconfident, determined and can accomplish a lot but has no interest in learning in the traditional sense.  I don't worry about it like I once did.  

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Hanna is such a girl.  She loves princess dresses, doing make-up, painting and learning. She loves to ride her bike.  She is so fearful of swimming.  She loves Parker.  She finally started to talk.  I was worried about that for a long time but in typical McMillan fashion at least started talking at 3.  

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This year has been unlike any other.  Danny has really stressed about COVID.  He is always fearful that he has COVID.  I am sure a lot of it has to do with his profession so we are all grateful he should be able to get the vaccine in a week or two.   We have all been really careful so Danny doesn't have to worry as much.

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I enjoyed coaching this summer and doing clinics in the fall.  I feel lucky to coach in our neighborhood.  It was so easy with the kids.  I look forward to what Woodlands can become.  I think there is a lot of potential and a great community.  I did really miss  a lot of things about a normal season and coaching alongside other coaches.  Every coach had their group and I floated around and helped.  We did a water polo clinic which was fun. It was fun to do something different.  

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I stressed over school way to much last semester.  I am not sure why.  I always feel like I should do more and wonder if I was doing enough, I worried about Scott's grades.  Everything that logically I knew doesn't really matter in the long run seemed at times to create anxiety.  I am pretty sure it was that I didn't have control of a lot of things in my life due to covid so it was my way of trying to control things.  And as we all know life and kids shouldn't be controlled.  It never works out that way.  I really miss friends.  I really miss having people over.  I have realized I am very extraverted and the absence of adult friends has been the hardest thing for him. It is probably best I am not in Brentwood, because I would have a much harder time separating myself from friends.  At least here, I don't really have friends yet to be missing...LOL!