Down in the dumps : (

Yesterday was one of those days!
I have read where Charolotte Mason feels so much about learning is the "Learning Environment". This year instead of working at the kitchen table we made an actual school room. As you know I am trying anything to get Kelly to be able to focus in more on her learning.I think we have tackled that one area okay but when talking with another homeschooling friend she said that the turmoil in the home really affects the child too because they are "home" all the time!
We have really hit a hard time in our lives financially, my husband just does not have any work! He paints houses and for some reason it has totally dried up here in Flagler County. He usually does those multi million dollar homes on the beach and golf courses (when the economy slows down it really doesn't usually affect those people) but this time it has. Anyway, all the talk in the home is about "money", This week has been "Are we going to be able to pay the electric bill on tues. $367.00".... "If we pay the electric bill we won't have any food money"... ect. Kelly has been hearing all of this. Kelly said to me yesterday (I forget the actual words but something like this), I am always home, I school at home, I play at home, I only get to see the three of you people, I only talk to you people, I never get away! This broke my heart. I know where this is all coming from - We had to cancel her one and only outing each week her horse back riding lessons ($35.00 a week) until we get some money coming in so we have been pretty much stuck around the house. We barely have gas money for my husband to go and check out possible jobs, so we can't waste it on joy riding some where just to get out for awhile.
So you put thses two things together, the constant money talk and not getting away from the house and I think it spells it all out on why Kelly is sooooo distracted (what kid wouldn't be). I have been trying to think of ways to make it a bit better here for her until things turn around - I have been letting her take Chance out for rides around the block each day, but that get's a bit of the "same old" pretty quick too. As far as not talking about money in front of her it is pretty hard since we live on top of each other here in the double wide mobile home and it is such a "hot" topic with my husband.... So needless to say I am feeling a bit worn out by it all. I have to some how make things a bit better for Kelly - This is also her childhood and I hate that she feels things are so in the dumps : (