The big yellow school bus rolled by at 07:25 this morning, and once again, my children were not waiting to get on - in fact, they weren't even awake yet. We will begin the school year by celebrating our decision to homeschool with other local homeschooling families by having a picnic on the beach. So this afternoon, despite the clouds, we will head out and join as many as 100 other families down at the beach. This will be our 5th year of attending and it is wonderful to see the familiar and the new faces each year. Attending the picnic builds a sense of community when we don't all live next door to one another. And although we may each have our own approaches to homeschooling - some may unschool, some may do 'school at home', some may homeschool for religious reasons; there are as many approaches to homeschooling as there are families who homeschool - we are all welcome to join each other in celebrating the decision we feel is right for our children.
Picking up 'school supplies' consisted of running shoes and rubber boots, a spiral logbook/notebook so I can record our daily activities and conversations and learning, and a new backpack for each child, since their old ones were worn right through. The children don't need a whack of new clothes or new pencils or certain brand names on their stuff. After all, they've been learning all summer. Just because school's not 'in', doesn't mean learning doesn't happen, and it's important for children - for all of us - to realize that.
September plans: connect with Learning Consultant and formulate Learning Plan, begin swimming lessons and register for skating, attend a one-day field trip where the kids will be doing rock climbing, archery, and orienteering...
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