OK... so my regular readers know about my obsession with a "schedule" this year in our schooling. We've done very well so far this school year. But the last two weeks have been a deliberate fall break. The kids have kept up with their reading, and we've done a smattering of special history lessons, character lessons, and even some math. During this time we have prepared for, hosted (to a degree), and recovered from a much anticipated family reunion that lasted quite a few days. This is also the reason I have not blogged much at all during this time period. My grandmother celebrated her 81st birthday, and her kids and grandkids made the trip from many miles and many different directions to come and celebrate together. It was a wonderful gathering and we made some great memories.
So, as far as school goes, we lost a couple days worth of "full curriculum completed" but gained some life lessons in the importance of family. Sydney learned some homemaking etiquette about having overnight guests. She got to shadow my cousin's sweet and gracious wife as she cared for her precious 3 week old baby. She also got to work on her photography skills some more. The boys got to hang out with my cousin who helped them refine their magic tricks and table tennis game. They also got several chances to go out on the golf course with their father and great uncles to work on their chipping, putting, and driving, not to mention, the traditional male bonding. Little Macy got to sit on the laps of adoring great aunts and uncles and say her nursery rhymes over, and over, and over, and over... There was also the great tradition of craft time with Aunt Nancy that the children always look forward to. Those are just some of the wonderful moments that could be afforded because we have the opportunity to set the schedule aside temporarily and take advantage of life's living lessons. I love homeschooling!
Through the eyes of my eight-year-old son though, these last two weeks off of our new fairly strict schedule has been a very long time. And considering we were only "back to school" for seven weeks before this two week holiday, I guess it was easy for him to feel like those several weeks of school between summer break and fall break didn't amount to much at all. Eight year old boys, huh? Because as we hugged the last of our company goodbye on Wednesday, he made one of THOSE statements. You know them, the things our children sometimes say that make us homeschool moms laugh nervously as we try to find just the right explanation. When asked if he was ready to get back to his normal life and his school work, he said "ah, we don't hardly ever do school work". Thanks buddy. And next Monday he'll say "Mom, why do we ALWAYS have to do SO MUCH schoolwork?!" Got to love the precious little man.
Thank heaven for tooth losing, knee skinning, Sugar Creek Gang reading, plastic light-saber wielding, eye glasses breaking, awe-shucks grinning, big brother imitating little boys!
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