What's the most important? My brain on paper.

The beautiful thing about home schooling is that we are able to study and learn about anything we want! We can also focus on anything we want.

I've read so many wonderful blog posts and articles about some of the things that others have done. They have inspired me to great ideas within my own family. I love it! I have read about nature study, composer study, history of all shapes and sizes, science of all shapes and sizes, science experiments, music theory, art study, biography study, art techniques, creative writing, grammar including diagramming sentences, spelling, time lines, life skills, violin study, piano, a multitude of other instruments, literature (this list is huge!), money management, geometry, algebra, astronomy, Shakespeare, Greek, Latin, Sign Language, Spanish, French, Geometry, PE, logic, rhetoric, and the list keeps going and going and going......

I've been thinking what are the most important things for my family. I feel that I only have a short time with my kids before they are gone and I'm no longer their teacher. I need to narrow this list down! I've simplified it to the most essential and then identified within that what is the most important. I don't know what to label these?

Level 1: Core Phase Behavior
Level 1B: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic in it's basic sense

Level 2:

• Life Skills: House hold management
• Theology: Specifically narrowed down to the Gospel Principles Manual
• Literature: Greek classics, Shakespeare and Dickens
• Math: Money Management and Geometry (if our roof is X size, how many shingles do we need?, etc)
• Music: Piano and specifically Music Theory

Level 3:

• History: Specifically American History
• Science: Physical Science?

Level 4:

• Art
• Astronomy
• Foreign Language

The farther down the list you go the less I've actually thought about it. I have put a lot of thought in the first two levels though. A lot! What is the most important? If I didn't teach them anything else what is absolutely essential for our family.

My husband and I absolutely love history and so do our children. We don't even have to teach that subject in our home, they just know it. It just is. That is why that's not more of a focus. Science? I just didn't think it was the most important for our family to focus on. I'm certain that some families will have that focus instead of music like we have.

I'm not saying that we won't do science or art, I'm simply identifying my focus. Everything after that is a bonus. I just need to get my bases covered. I'm still thinking. Like I said, "My brain on a paper."

So have any of you narrowed down your focus and really thought about what is the most important for your family to know and understand?