Back to School

And suddenly, it's that time again! Summer is over and it's time for Back to School. This time is always a little tricky, because everyone is filled with the excitement of new shiny school supplies and new teachers. We are holding steady in our course of teaching our children in our home and allowing them time and freedom. Allowing for quantity AND quality time with family. Allowing us to explore the world around us, learn at our own pace, immerse ourselves in goodness, and be together. 

 

We have a busy fall, but we are excited for the new school year! 

(I took a back to school picture, too)

Lydia, 5th Grade: 

US History, Mentor Coop, OlaNani Coop (crochet, cooking, color theory), Digital Art, Piano, Sports, Sewing. 

When I grow up I want to be: an author. 

Austin, 2nd Grade: 

PE, Math, LA, Savvy Reading, Science, OlaNani Coop (Math in Art, Board Game Design, KiwiSTEM)

When I grow up I want to be: a builder.

Caleb, Kindergarten:

Math, LA, STEM, OlaNani Coop (Math in Art, Animals, Cooking), Upstart 

When I grow up I want to be: A builder and a scientist, too! 

Mom, Teacher: 

Teaching all core subjects in the home. Personal focus of Physical and Spiritual Fitness. 

Teaching OlaNani classes in: Digital Art, Kiwi STEM, and assisting in the administration of the Coop.

When I grow up I want to be: a homeschooling mother, a lioness at the door

More pictures because I love them: 

I considered sending Lydia and Caleb to Fox Hollow this year. Most of Lydia's friends are going back to public school and we are going to be loosing our tight group of homeschoolers in the neighborhood (Lily and Iris's dad teaches 5th grade, so they will go back to be in his class). I feel a little like Lydia is being left behind and I've had to do a lot of thinking about WHY we feel that this is the path for us and whether or not this is the time to change. Ultimately, staying home still feels like the right thing to do. Thankfully Lydia wants to stay home. If she really wanted to go back, I think the conversation would be a lot different - but she wants to stay and I want her to stay and we are building a schedule that is going to be rigorous and rewarding for her. 

I'm looking forward to the Tuesday Coop that Lydia will be in both because I think that it will be so good for her, but also because it will give me a whole day to focus on Austin and Caleb. I feel really strongly that they need my attention this year and I'm looking forward to some fun Unit Studies and quality time with them. 

David ended up getting Covid before our big "Not Back to School Party" and even though WE didn't have Covid, we felt like it was probably best to cancel the party. When I sent out the text that morning to cancel, I crawled into my bed with the blankets over my head and was just... sad. But I got out of bed and decided we would go swimming anyway. I basically told David that we could go swimming on the day the other kids went back to school or we could send our kids on the bus. I was clearly feeling the need to keep our homeschool traditions alive in the aftermath of choosing homeschool over public school. We picked up McDonalds kids meals and played in the pool all by ourselves and it was good. 

(I told my brother Jacob about how we go to the pool on the first day of school for our "Not Back to School" part and he was highly amused. He said that was a "total homeschooling flex" which is cool-kid speak for "showing off something that you can do" or some such thing. Which is true. But also it is for ME. To remind me that we are choosing homeschool and that along with the hard things also come the pool-and-donut days. 

Not Back to School 2.0

We still held our "Not Back to School" party with all of our homeschooling friends and it was so wonderful to be there with SO many kids and moms. There was a moment when I stood apart from the others and just let the sounds of the laughter and happiness wash over me. I was standing in the shallow end of the pool and I closed my eyes (I was wearing sunglasses so no one really noticed). I felt the spirit touch my heart in acknowledgement that this was an answer to my many, many prayers. I have prayed for years to find a group of people to walk this homeschooling journey with. That my kids can be friends with and that can lift and support me, too. This is group of strong, brave women. Women who have the same desire and willingness to create something different for their children. I am SO grateful to be surrounded by them. I am so grateful that my prayers have been answered and this community has been built up bit by bit until it is what it is now. We are joining some other homeschooling communities this year, but in this moment - I am just so very grateful for THIS community as we start our year. 




Happy Not Back to School!