Homeschool for the Next Year

I'm taking a break from thinking about renal failure because, you know, life goes on and one must continue to raise children, figure out school, track down the checks your city's tax collector never cashed and mow your grass. Especially in Pittsburgh, in July. The weeds are out of control!

Homeschooling is something we do because our kids asked us to do it, and we are able to accommodate them right now. Prior to Western States last month, we had plans to continue to travel a lot and were booking places all over Pennsylvania and West Virginia for the fall, and Florida for the winter. Visiting state parks, doing junior ranger programs and checking out rocks and lizards and birds was definitely a big part of our homeschool curriculum during the last 2 years. I didn't have to do a ton of planning...it's pretty much show up and learn together. I also appreciate the necessary minimalism that camper life requires. I tend to plan too much content, and this can put pressure on the kids, as well as just cause me to have a lot of on-going and unfinished projects laying around. However, what I have learned about setting parameters for homeschool while traveling, can also be applied at home. 

I'm currently working through the Brave Writer intuitive planning workbook, which is helping me to identify the unique strengths and needs of each kid. With a 6 year span between oldest and youngest, I have always been able to see the different academic skill levels they have, but now I'm thinking more about learning preferences and the little things that can derail each kid. Surprise! (not really) Our kids are really different from each other. One likes to have a very detailed list of everything that needs to be done and will tackle that first thing in the morning. Another child is completely overwhelmed by a long list and just wants the next thing on the list. Show the whole list, and it becomes overwhelming.  I'm also trying to identify the work environments that help each child be most efficient. Listening to music vs. quiet. Different types of seating. Time of day. I'd really like to get out of the mentality of doing everything as a "pack." 

On everyone's list was to add some in-person activities to meet new people. The local homeschool co-op is  still doing virtual classes one day a week and then a half day of outside activities. I just started the process to join and the kids are excited about the proposed classes. The boys also want to stay in gymnastics and Laurel wants to keep Girl Scouts and horse-riding. 

Poetry teatime has been a universally popular weekly event for us and will take place on Tuesday afternoons. This is hands-down my favorite homeschool ritual.

M is going to continue with the synthesizer and music stuff he has been doing with the kids. He is also the best one for picking out games and playing them with the kids and teaching them to bake and cook. For years, he has been reading aloud to the kids at bedtime and I think one of my favorite things about his style is that he picks completely different books than what I would choose. Running With Sherman by Christopher McDougall and Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck were two books he read on our cross country trip that we all really loved. 

I'm "X-ing" off Sundays as my day of rest. I love this habit! It really helps me to have a specific time of the week to do non-Mom or non-homeschooling things. I will read frivolously, nap excessively, paint without a lesson plan and sit on my porch and go on bike rides or hikes with my friends. The kids also like to have a day free of chores and school. 

Also on the list of priorities for fall is healing and reconnecting with each other after a traumatic summer. I anticipate that with time, I will write more about this process. Right now, it's still unfolding, and very raw.