After taking the summer off to "do baby" full time and enjoy the heat at the lake as much as possible with both kids, I was admittedly more than a bit depressed for a few days last week upon returning from our end-of-the-summer vacation. The vacation I'd been looking forward to all summer had come to an end. I could feel the weight of responsibility looming and slowing descending, pressing the air out of the room. Adding to all the normal responsibilities of juggling life with an infant and a 4-year-old I now was to add homeschooling. "What had I been thinking?" i wondered as I viewed all the back-to-school photos of my friend's children on Facebook. I then read a wonderful article in Homeschool Enrichment Magazine that reconnected me to why our family has chosen to homeschool. We chose this path because of the rich family relationships we are building and the life we are creating for ourselves based on our values and along our own timetable. It was just the encouragement I needed. I rallied and have gotten back on track planning for homeschooling this fall.
I'm continuing to read and research Charlotte Mason Homeschooling. In keeping with her theory on learning, I'm steering clear of academics in favor of creating a learning environment at home and focusing on character development, creative play, and the arts. The line-up for the fall looks like this.
- Suzuki Violin Class - weekly class / daily practice
- Homeschool Co-op - weekly
- Swim Lessons - weekly
- Kids Open Gym (indoor soccer, pilo polo, kickball) - 3x week
- Music Together Class - weekly
- Five In A Row Curriculum - Daily
- Religious Education - Spirit Play - weekly
- Nature Journaling - weekly - Referencing Anna Botsford Comstock's Hanbook of Nature Study and Claire WAlker Leslie's Keeping A Nature Journal
- Outdoor Play / Walks - 2 to 3 hours daily
- Field Trips - Children's Museum, EcoTarium, Aquarium, etc... - monthly
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Looks like a great schedule! Following you from THL :)
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