We've had several friends and family ask...when are you going back to school? The answer was up to the kids and they decided today. Going 'back' merely meaning that we are slightly more structured with our studies and learning time. Our morning goes the same as in the summer or breaks or vacations...get up when you want, eat some breakfast, head outdoors to take care of the animal chores. Then we come back to sit down together, talk about our plan for our structured time, if they need my help, we may do a bit of family reading at that point or bible study then our daughter does her individual studies while I usually help our son. I'm back and forth helping to research, answer questions, providing support to each one of them. We break for lunch as I read to them out loud from our family book choice. Then our son lays on the couch reading to himself quietly while I sit and help our daughter with math. Afterwards she has free reading time while he has a quiet activity...lego play, sometimes a short time with a video game or documentary. The afternoon brings me working while they do these quiet activities then we gather again to help check on animals, fill up water dishes and tidy up a bit before feeding the dogs and feeding ourselves dinner. Anything can happen, nothing is really 'planned' although we have a wonderful family rhythm together.
Our son did decide on the first day of school every year he is going to start a tradition to 'blow' something up. What better than a traditional baking soda and vinegar volcano in the yard! Next daddy told him to build a stick house model and they would use black powder and blow that up! Oh boy! Love my boys!
So today our daughter worked on English/Lit then US History, some Math and then free reading. Our son built a volcano in the yard, we read about gross facts in American History, studied Arizona, California and Idaho state maps in a children's atlas, played Animal Monopoly- he was the banker, working on his math skills, reading the cards with interesting animal facts then had free reading as well.
We've also started Swiss Family Robinson for our family reading time.
A peaceful start to our new school year.
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