No, it wasn't planned that way. I don't do much planning to speak of lately! ("Fail to plan, fail to plan," right? True here, I know that!) Anyway, this post is not about feeling bad about not doing school this week. It's actually the opposite. While we didn't DO school this week, we had plenty of learning experiences, teaching opportunities, and fun with friends.
My kids are counting to 100...just because they think it's fun. They do it all the time, without any prompting from me. I have to help them through many of the transitions (from 29 to 30, from 39 to 40, etc.), but they love counting to 100!! 100 is actually J's favorite number, I think. He told me today that when j (lower case j=Josiah; capital J=Justus), is 10 and he (J) is 105(!!!!), he would finally have someone to wrestle with. Ummmm, there are SO many routes I could have gone with that statement (you currently have 2 little brothers that you wrestle with very often, you will NOT be 105 when j is 10, you will probably not live to BE 105, you most CERTAINLY will not be wrestling if you do in fact live to be that old, etc., etc.) However, I just laughed and camped on the excitement that he was starting to talk about numbers above 100 ;)
Anyway, sorry for the rabbit trail...
What other learning went on this week? We sang songs, we read books, the coloring frenzy is still on in FULL force, the boys helped a lot around the house (without me asking...JOY!!), J is practicing writing letters and numbers totally on his own, and J is also trying to read things without my initiating it.
E's vocabulary and conversational skills are accelerating at HILARIOUS speeds. He is so fun to talk to, listen to, and especially to observe in conversation with his brothers. He wants to be just like them, and that therefore includes talking like them! It is amazing how much faster each of our kids has learned how to talk.
ALLLLL of that to say, learning was fun this week. (for everyone involved, I think) I think I gain more insight into everyone's different learning styles when I just sit back and watch them learn on their own. When they come to ME with questions, games, and activity ideas, I can simply join into their little lessons, asking questions to deepen the involvement and learning. (Wow! What color is that, E? T, which one of those animals is the fastest? J, what do you think is going to happen next?)
I love it.
A dear friend reminded me the other day that my kids really are still so young. Even at the age of five, J doesn't necessarily need to be sitting down for planned "lessons" every day of the week...and I shouldn't feel guilty when that hasn't happened. Well, I'm taking her advice a step farther. I am going to ENJOY the spontaneous lessons and bask in the unplanned-every-day opportunities that present themselves at JUST the right time.
My kids are counting to 100...just because they think it's fun. They do it all the time, without any prompting from me. I have to help them through many of the transitions (from 29 to 30, from 39 to 40, etc.), but they love counting to 100!! 100 is actually J's favorite number, I think. He told me today that when j (lower case j=Josiah; capital J=Justus), is 10 and he (J) is 105(!!!!), he would finally have someone to wrestle with. Ummmm, there are SO many routes I could have gone with that statement (you currently have 2 little brothers that you wrestle with very often, you will NOT be 105 when j is 10, you will probably not live to BE 105, you most CERTAINLY will not be wrestling if you do in fact live to be that old, etc., etc.) However, I just laughed and camped on the excitement that he was starting to talk about numbers above 100 ;)
Anyway, sorry for the rabbit trail...
What other learning went on this week? We sang songs, we read books, the coloring frenzy is still on in FULL force, the boys helped a lot around the house (without me asking...JOY!!), J is practicing writing letters and numbers totally on his own, and J is also trying to read things without my initiating it.
E's vocabulary and conversational skills are accelerating at HILARIOUS speeds. He is so fun to talk to, listen to, and especially to observe in conversation with his brothers. He wants to be just like them, and that therefore includes talking like them! It is amazing how much faster each of our kids has learned how to talk.
ALLLLL of that to say, learning was fun this week. (for everyone involved, I think) I think I gain more insight into everyone's different learning styles when I just sit back and watch them learn on their own. When they come to ME with questions, games, and activity ideas, I can simply join into their little lessons, asking questions to deepen the involvement and learning. (Wow! What color is that, E? T, which one of those animals is the fastest? J, what do you think is going to happen next?)
I love it.
A dear friend reminded me the other day that my kids really are still so young. Even at the age of five, J doesn't necessarily need to be sitting down for planned "lessons" every day of the week...and I shouldn't feel guilty when that hasn't happened. Well, I'm taking her advice a step farther. I am going to ENJOY the spontaneous lessons and bask in the unplanned-every-day opportunities that present themselves at JUST the right time.
"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each."
Henry David Thoreau
Don't you just love that about homeschooling! We can take those days/weeks to just enjoy and observe our children learning. I will never forget the first CHSA meeting I went to. Someone made a very enlightening statement. Our jobs as parents/homeschooling moms is to teach our children to be disciples. The academics will come. Teaching them the everyday stuff is very important as well. So glad that you got to sit back and enjoy teaching your kids the everyday stuff. :) Enjoy it!
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