IS homeschooling a family learning around the kitchen table? Well, the beauty of homeschooling is that it can be whatever you want and need it to be. I've been on an extended rant these days about the NON-sheltering, NON-isolated benefits of homeschooling. This post is, in part, a continuation of those thoughts. And in part it is a shout out to my friends, to whom I keep saying, "We're so busy," though when asked I can never seem to remember more than one or two of our "extras."
We are, in fact INCREDIBLY busy by our standards. I do not mean to imply busy is best. This year may simply be what our family needs to make up for a few pregnant school years where I did a lot of laying on the couch as a literal "captive audience" to the kids' spontaneous performances.
For whatever reason this year has packed itself so full, so far so good. We are maintaining our sanity (though we are only a month into it). And I feel like supporting my kids in their learning adventures and pursuits is exactly what I am supposed to be doing, so it is satisfying too.
For the record, here is what we've got going on:
Mondays: our most sacred cleaning day (which with older kids has turned mostly into cleaning morning), piano for my oldest daughter, and Makers Club (programming, mixed with robotics mixed with electronics and engineering mixed with imagination) for my oldest son... and we're looking to add tennis to the mix and, for 3 months out of the year, a ballet lesson taught by me for my youngest daughter ....
Tuesdays: Once a month we host our beloved Culture Club here. Otherwise there is just ballet, ballet, ballet. Literally. Ballet lessons at the ballet school for my son, before which I'm teaching a ballet lesson for my daughter and her peers, and if interest expands beyond the class on Monday, adding to that a beginning ballet class for my younger daughter's peers. PHEW!
Wednesdays: Once a month we hit Biography Club. Twice a month the girls go to American Girls Club. My son is starting a journalism class on this day next month and thereafter working on our community's homeschool newsletter, AND he has a weekly ballet lesson Wednesday night.
Thursdays: Boys Science Club is in the mornings. (So many boys in the club have little sisters in American Girls that this will morph to be on the same day which will really free our Wednesday mornings. Wow!) And the boy who wants to be a professional dancer has yet another ballet class too. Looking at adding a tennis lesson to this day as well. (Twice a month my daughter has a church group called Activity Days on Thursdays. My son's scouts should also be added to the mix, though I'm not sure what day. They are waiting for the critical mass of boys to have birthdays to reboot the program... I think.)
Fridays: To give him the best edge, I am teaching this son ballet Friday mornings. After which I've tried to keep the day free for weekends away and fun field trips. (Destinations on the calendar and to be reviewed include the Dinosaur Park in Ogden, the Monastery in Huntsville, and the Air Force Base Museum. Recently we've hit the Orthodox Church, the Hare Krishna Temple, and a couple of museums in Provo I reviewed for this post.)
You know, when I put it all down like that, it doesn't seem too bad. Maybe I'll stop telling everyone I'm SO busy. Maybe we're just mildly busy, though busier than WE have ever been. I'm pleased with our schedule because each activity represents a quality learning opportunity for my kids AND a chance to get in that all important socialization. More beautiful is that there is only ONE night where we aren't together as a family - Wednesday night, due to my son's latter ballet lesson. Every other night our evenings are free to enjoy dinner and life and our family and friends together! We are also incredibly blessed to have such a great group of homeschooling friends right around us, so while we may not be home, we aren't more than 5 minutes away.
Some say we homeschoolers are an isolated bunch. I submit that if that is so, it is by choice, and not by the nature of homeschooling. Others say it is ambitious to homeschool. When I think of the peace of our family getting to enjoy one another almost every evening, without the pressures of homework or running like crazy people to get our kids to their extra-curricular stuff, I think homeschooling is the answer for those who rather take a moment with the people they love to soak it all in.
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