We are a Summer School Family. Here's the main reasons why I choose to year round homeschool our houseful.
First off I completely agree with public school moms, after a couple weeks of a summer break the kids are bored! They start complaining, being mischievous and/or driving me crazy!!!
We like routine, we like routine with flexibility. Hence I like to year round school, because often in the homeschool world things come up last minute, or we just need a break one day when it's been a difficult week, or maybe it's the first nice/warm day of the spring- and let's face it no one wants to be inside on a day like that! Yes in my book, all those days can be and are included in schooling my houseful, however I still like to know where we stand in our curriculum and in our goals for the year.
So if I know we have an entire year to complete something, not a school year, I feel more relaxed!
I also detest having to review everything you learned last year!!! REALLY! If you have to review it, did you really learn it!?!? Now I get reviewing things you've learned and especially facts- but feeling like the first 15-20 lessons in every math curriculum is dedicated to relarning things, not reviewing, but yes- relearning! In our household when you start a new math or grammar level, you get to start with the unit tests! If you can pass it off you move to the next unit test until you found "the good stuff!" The new material!
I also hate that feeling of just getting a child over a hump, especially learning to read or decode, figuring out their math facts or a math topic or killing a moment where someone is into a specific topic- and then having a feeling that we need to revamp the schedule or rethink somewhere else- to fit it all in, when in reality I want to fit it all in! And with a year round school year, you can chase a bunny trail, and then come back to where you are, and know there's still plenty of time!
Vacation time! We can vacation how and where and most importantly when we choose! We also like to live on "Dad's schedule" That way when dad's off we can be off! Also I believe it teaches a good work ethic, along with helping my children find joy in the simple things. If life is life you find joy in simple things- like a day off or park day.
Sick days, we obviously can't plan those! Along with sick days, I've had 11 children! Homeschooling and pregnancy is difficult, along with homeschooling with babies and toddlers. We need some flexibility during those times in our lives.
I also like to take long breaks around holidays, especially Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.
I think we also take the idea that life is school to a whole new level! I want my children to see school and learning as a part of their life. That it is what we do, it is important and learning is everything and everywhere. If we take a summer break, and it's considered a holiday, then wouldn't you dread going back to school? I want life to be both work and a holiday, and for it to happen in a more natural way.
And amazingly we still have plenty of time for play, and guess what we even enjoy and cherish that time!
I will be preparing a post on how I plan with flexibility! So I don't feel I'm behind, or feel like I need to rethink our schedule anytime we get sick, need a break or decide to enjoy an activity I didn't plan on.
First off I completely agree with public school moms, after a couple weeks of a summer break the kids are bored! They start complaining, being mischievous and/or driving me crazy!!!
We like routine, we like routine with flexibility. Hence I like to year round school, because often in the homeschool world things come up last minute, or we just need a break one day when it's been a difficult week, or maybe it's the first nice/warm day of the spring- and let's face it no one wants to be inside on a day like that! Yes in my book, all those days can be and are included in schooling my houseful, however I still like to know where we stand in our curriculum and in our goals for the year.
So if I know we have an entire year to complete something, not a school year, I feel more relaxed!
I also detest having to review everything you learned last year!!! REALLY! If you have to review it, did you really learn it!?!? Now I get reviewing things you've learned and especially facts- but feeling like the first 15-20 lessons in every math curriculum is dedicated to relarning things, not reviewing, but yes- relearning! In our household when you start a new math or grammar level, you get to start with the unit tests! If you can pass it off you move to the next unit test until you found "the good stuff!" The new material!
I also hate that feeling of just getting a child over a hump, especially learning to read or decode, figuring out their math facts or a math topic or killing a moment where someone is into a specific topic- and then having a feeling that we need to revamp the schedule or rethink somewhere else- to fit it all in, when in reality I want to fit it all in! And with a year round school year, you can chase a bunny trail, and then come back to where you are, and know there's still plenty of time!
Vacation time! We can vacation how and where and most importantly when we choose! We also like to live on "Dad's schedule" That way when dad's off we can be off! Also I believe it teaches a good work ethic, along with helping my children find joy in the simple things. If life is life you find joy in simple things- like a day off or park day.
Sick days, we obviously can't plan those! Along with sick days, I've had 11 children! Homeschooling and pregnancy is difficult, along with homeschooling with babies and toddlers. We need some flexibility during those times in our lives.
I also like to take long breaks around holidays, especially Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.
I think we also take the idea that life is school to a whole new level! I want my children to see school and learning as a part of their life. That it is what we do, it is important and learning is everything and everywhere. If we take a summer break, and it's considered a holiday, then wouldn't you dread going back to school? I want life to be both work and a holiday, and for it to happen in a more natural way.
And amazingly we still have plenty of time for play, and guess what we even enjoy and cherish that time!
I will be preparing a post on how I plan with flexibility! So I don't feel I'm behind, or feel like I need to rethink our schedule anytime we get sick, need a break or decide to enjoy an activity I didn't plan on.
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