T minus 2

The wasteful days of public school began about 2.5 weeks ago, when homework became intermittent, which really means to gather up all those Homework Passes the kids earned all year and turn 'em in to get out of those last assignments.  They've watched movies, played games outside and had parties - at school.  Honestly, why bother.  But when you have kids that attend public school, they obviously don't want to miss the "fun" part of school, that ever-lasting end of the year.  So they go, and we have two more days left, half-days.  The change in routine confuses us all.  Today was a half-day, and since all my kids are playing in the backyard with the neighbors (except for the little napping boy), I keep having to correct myself, that it's WEDNESDAY at 2PM, not FRIDAY at 5PM.

So many moms around town are all like, "Oh My God, school's almost out...what am I gonna do?  I'm not even ready."  "We signed up for the pool so I can get them out of my hair all day."  "I'm going crazy thinking about my kids being home all day."

I suppose because their children are a nuisance.  I really can't say why they say these things.

For reasons unknown to me, I do better when all of my kids are here.  When my big two are at their Dad's house, I have to put in extra effort to muscle through my day, as it feels like something's missing... which is true- my kiddos are missing!

The school year is difficult for me, coming out of summers where I have all my guys and usually some of somebody else's every day, into a world where the days are much quieter, and I putter around trying to find purpose in my day.

I get significantly more done house-wise when there are more kids here.  I run more errands, check more random stuff off my mental checklists, do more laundry and more dishes, and cook better meals.  I just function better.

Summer (and beyond... ha) with my kids is awesome for me.

Here we are at Chase's baseball game.  He plays at a different field than Indy's softball games, but there were of course a number of times their games overlapped and I got to criss-cross across town all night.  

Speaking of baseball, Chase's skills have really improved this year.  He's been pitching almost every game, a 2 inning limit at this level.  He's struck out players several times.  He really enjoys pitching. He also is one of the better hitters on the team, and makes plays in the outfield that are, like, real baseball.  It's really neat to see not only him, but the whole league of the Minors really learn and refine the game this year.  

I cleaned the kitchen counter top, which totally was in need.  This lasted until.... lunch. 

Longer, warmer days mean harder play.  RJ konks out on the couch.  

Riley practices Money Math.  

It rained last night.  A lot.  Chase's play-off game got paused due to a downpour and will continue tonight where it left off. We came home, and since we were already soaked, played in the water on the back patio until the sun went down.  

So much fun.  

Riley drew her family on the marker board.  From left to right: Chase (he's sad because he had to go to the doctor), Mom, Indy, RJ (first she drew RJ in Mom's belly, which was corrected, and she made us aware that it was RJ, not a different baby), herself (she's doing a flip), and Dad (he's tall, and he's an old man).   Bwahahahaha!

The Un-Farmer Version of Homeschool

Hello there from the Un-Farmer, which is much more fun to call oneself than the "brand-new homeschooling mom."  Now that we've cleared up the definition confusion on "Homesteading" and "Homeschooling" in the last post, time to move on to what will soon be our new norm.  

As we move forward, and with being on the 7th-to-last day of school here in PA (OMG - seriously I just figured this 3 days ago...), our plan is to start slow in summer, adding one, maybe two learning pieces on top of what we already do in summer.  

What do we already do in summer?  

Well, I guess if you had to sum it up, our regular summer learning sounds a lot like... homeschool.  Parts of it, anyway.  

The school-aged kids are given a binder with a weekly list of grade-level spelling words (about 20 per week) and each week they copy, study, write (print and cursive), make a sentence, copy sentences, then quiz, over the course of 4 days.  Any incorrect get written seven times each.  

We use IXL.com for math, it's a more of a review format, rather than lessons, and so far, each kid completes the grade year they're entering.  As a side note, and to help anyone in the same situation who may ever read this, the fact that the kids were breezing through their next-grade material in the summer prior should have been a sign that we would eventually run into issues from being at the top of the class, their subsequent boredom, and the inevitable school response of using them to help others in the classroom (as the class can't move on until mostly everyone's got it).  Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic skill to be effectively able to help others, and I'm grateful my kids have had that opportunity.  But it adds to my general concern that my kids are going to school for approximately 7 hours a day, and spending a good portion of that 7 hours waiting for the class to catch up, being bored, or being handed "Enrichment Packets" - which is a nice term for "Here, Do Some More Work Because You're Smart and I Need To Keep You Busy Right Now."  
Inevitably, someone has a science kit or two that's leftover from Christmas, and a craft kit or two that's leftover from a birthday in their closet, so we break those out and hit 'em hard.  

The loose-leaf pages in their spelling notebooks can be for anything they want.  Chase usually writes short stories about baseball or fantasy heroes and wars.  Indy sometimes writes letters to friends, but she also makes lists, itemized restaurant menus, and stories about cats or puppies.  

So they do a lot over the summer already.  

As for getting started in our homeschool, PA has a required list of subjects, and we have a general plan for how to attack each one.  Math is not difficult for me, but I find it dull and boring (people and behaviors are SOO much more fun!), so if anything, Math may be the one subject that we purchase curriculum for.  TopScience.org has really wonderful and affordable kits, everything from human anatomy to light to gravity and more. Everything else we already have access to, have found online in the form of free lessons, or can get from our library. 

We've all signed up for something different at the YMCA on Wednesdays, so we'll pack a lunch and do our activities before noon, eat, then stay for the pool.  

Riley is really into animals, so we'll hit our (tiny) local zoo about once a week (which is normal for us anyway), but this time we'll be armed with research on ONE animal in particular for each time we go.  Hopefully twice a month, we'll go down to the Philly Zoo and learn about even MORE animals.  

There are PLENTY of historical places within an hour's reach of home, here in southeast PA.  

As far as "socialization," well, quite frankly, we are not worried about it.  Friend time over the summer will be normal, and we know we will come across other homeschool families in our daily travels once other kids are back in school.  If in doubt, just go to "Kids Eat Free on Tuesdays" at Ikea.  Since there is no limit on how many kids eat free, there is more than one table of homeschooling frugal Mamas.  

And once we "find our groove" with our curriculum we will decide if we have time in our week or month to join a local co-op or group.  But as I said, we are social just within our family, at community events, with our extended family, at various activities we do, and more.  I am not worried about my kids not getting enough socialization with their same-aged peers because it isn't a necessary skill for adulthood and the real world.  We don't all work with same-aged people, or work-out with same-aged people, or even form adult friendships with same-aged people.  I think it's beneficial for kids to know how to socialize with ALL ages.  And I can bring to mind several examples, in both the middle and elementary schools, of kids that I DON'T want my kids socializing with... 

Will this be easy for us?  I doubt it, not at first.  And it shouldn't be.  Just like all things, this will take effort, work, time, patience, acceptance when something's not working, and the fluid ability to go with the flo.  The exciting part is our new schedule - which is ours to create.  Our early-risers can rise early.  Our night-owls and late-sleepers can stay up and sleep in (to a point...!).  The foyer might even get a little cleaner (wishful thinking, probably) without loads of bookbags and lunchbags to trip over daily.  To be able to take our learning wherever we want to go, without having to wait for a bus, or a kid to get home, or to drive back and forth every few hours.  And, if the summer doesn't work out, we march up the hill and register for school.  :)  
But I'm pretty sure things will work out.  Even without being Farmers.