Summer School

We just finished our academic year. The kids did well; Kyrie suddenly decided she wants to be in 1st grade next year and spent more time on her kindergarten work in the last month than the rest of the year combined. I need to finish the year by doing a little record-keeping and re-organizing the school closet/supplies.

The buzz in homeschooling circles is year-round schooling. "We keep going through the summer," one mom told me. "We will take a couple weeks off in August before we start up for fall."

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. In one sense, a 3-month break is not realistic; they certainly won't be handed that in the vocations they choose. (Unless they go in to teaching.) On the other hand, we aren't teaching them how to take meaningful vacations and rest very well either.

Ultimately, I come down on the side that we teach different things in our summer school. Little bodies, little minds need sunshine, fresh air, and a chance to gain a new perspective. We also need to learn a few life skills that are hard to teach year-round. So, I pulled up the Life Skills chart and printed them out and worked out a summer schedule where Ben and Kyrie will each help me plan and prepare one meal one night a week and also spend 30 min twice a week working one-on-one with me to learn a new chore. Everleigh will get 30 minutes a week.

One thing I feel I'm not doing well is helping them develop a special skill. I'm fine at encouraging academics....But I'm lost with sports, music, etc.... They all have artistic interests but this summer I want to help Ben and Kyrie choose something (i.e. an instrument, sport, etc...) to pursue. Swimming lessons was a must this summer and Ben has already started his class.

We will continue to play learning games, Ben wants to continue Latin so he doesn't forget anything and I will work one day a week with Kyrie on keeping up her reading.

But there is so little time to be a child. These are the days of playing in the sandbox, swinging on swings, going to the park, playing with the neighbors and growing healthy little minds and bodies.

Fall will be upon us soon enough.