Change It Up

After homeschooling for years I have noticed a pattern.  Right as we hit the “holidays” things get busy and our schedule seems to get off track. Both my son and I start to deal with some boredom. I start to conserve time by trimming off this or that, but a couple of years ago I had an idea.  What if I changed it up?  

One of the many joys of homeschooling is it can vary from family to family even child to child.  What works today may not work tomorrow and that is ok.  It took a long time for me to get there and to find out how to work with it instead of against it.

So we do a lot of learning on the go.  We do a lot of “off hours” learning.  We take advantage of life to help us learn.  Best of all it’s a joint project.  I think I learn as much during these times as he does.

I did a little research to see how other moms break the cycle and change up homeschooling.

1. Do a topical study.  Use a holiday to study the history, or the change in seasons to discuss the weather.
2. Read together.  No matter the age taking time to read together can bring you closer and help a struggling or unenthusiastic reader.
3. Do a service project.  Find a senior center and read to seniors or just adopt a grandparent. Help at a soup kitchen, or even make lunches for the homeless.  

This is just a taste of what I found that others are doing to change it up, but even things such as a change of scenery can revive and recharge you for the rest of the year.

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Heather Garcia

Tech Addiction

It’s funny. I have a husband who spends all day sitting at the computer and almost no time on the computer that is not work or personal project related, where as I am a self-professed social network addict.  I am working on this flaw. I have seen it in my kids and I am not a fan.  How can I ask them to stop if I am on Facebook 24/7?  So I need to learn to turn it off. The world will not end if I miss a text message, email or status update.  

Park play dates have turned into mom’s checking phones, teens checking phones and kids running around. We have checked out of personal contact and into a safe world of make believe.  

We crave that hit of dopamine we get when we check our phones.  We need to be connected to everyone on our friends list.  When did this happen?  Why did this happen?  Social skills are an afterthought.  No one writes personal notes anymore.  

We have a tech free dinner table.  This is a must.  We come together and sit down to eat and talk about our day.  No room there for Facebook or Twitter.  No room for Snapchat or text messages.  I think we need to do this more.  My husband has been saying this and I have been fighting the wave.  

I am not afraid to admit my guilt, but I am ashamed that I have let myself get this way.  Now it’s time to take a hard look and figure out how to get out of the hole I have dug myself into.  So I issue a challenge.  Put your phone down and talk to the people in your life.  Your friends, your family, the stranger next to you in line.  Look your cashier in the eye when she says hello and respond.  It will enrich your life.  

Posted by

Heather Garcia

Fall Co-op Wrap Up

 

Another successful co-op is in the books.  We would like to extend a huge thank you to the teachers, assistants and clean-up crews that made this all possible.  Also a thanks to Kristie for making this run so smoothly.  We are always looking to improve on our success, and as such the ideas from the board are already flowing.  If you have any ideas feel free to comment here or send a message to the board.  

With such a diverse group I am always happy to hear from teachers and parents how much they enjoyed co-op but I have to tell you there is a special place in my heart when the kids say “thank you” on the last day of class.  

I loved seeing all the creative costumes for our trunk r treat. It seems like everyone had a great time and the pictures are all fantastic. It was great seeing a mix of allergy safe and traditional treats given out.

Each session the classes get more and more creative and interesting.  So make sure you are thinking about what to teach in the spring.  I know it seems far away but I think that it will be here before we know it.  

We are currently looking for a new location for our spring co-op, hopefully in Wake Forest.  If you know of anywhere we might look into please feel free to let us know in the comments or send a message.   

Again thank you for a fantastic fall co-op.  Let’s see how we can top this one for spring.  

Posted by

Heather Garcia