Homeschooling Lesson #1 for this year, work together as a family, is going great! As we settle into our routine, we are also finding great opportunities to take advantage of the flexibility of homeschooling. We are planning family travel outside of the normal schooled rush, and enjoy shifting our learning days to fit the weather and events around us.
Keeping math and reading fun for Mr. Kindergarten and his brother is going very well. We even added a second iPad to the family to allow the boys to play with words and numbers more frequently. A common fight was often who got to Teach the Monster to Read or do other educational apps. Now with two iPads, they are becoming more collaborative. Mr. Kindergarten has even taken on the challenge of teaching his 3 year old brother to count to 100. We are to the 30s so far, which is great for neighborhood hide-and-seek! I just love the look on the traditionally schooled kids faces when the 3 year old can count high enough to be the seeker.
We are hoping to get a cross country road trip on our schedule, with highlights from National Parks and Monuments as well as museums. In the lead-up to this trip, we are working on map skills and the reading that comes along with figuring out funny place names.
Right now, the stress level in our homeschool is down and I'm delighting in the child-led learning that is happening. This is exactly what I have hoped for in our homeschooling journey. To keep the course, I'm building in if-then scenarios for how to get back to this state when we invariably hit a rough patch. As long as they aren't too personal, I might share some of these plans in a future Musing. Until then, keep on finding solutions for your own homeschool to return to a path of joy and relative ease whenever possible. The hard patches are an important part of learning, and the flow that comes from focus, practice and commitment is the reward!
-Erica Layon
