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TracyQ
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| Posted: June 08 2006 at 6:08pm | IP Logged
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Hi All!
I'm beginning my end of the year reports, my letter of intent for next year, and have been praying about next year, thinking about this year, evaluating, reflecting, etc.
One thing that keeps bothering me is that I MISS the times when my kids were young, and we could have more fun when learning. 
My boys are now teenagers, and I'm officially now a dweeb (or whatever the term that means uncool is right now). 
HOW can I recapture, even if in a different way some of the joy, fun, and even if possible a tiny bit of *togetherness* that we used to have without frustration, or eye rolling, or sighing???
Is that possible anymore????
I mean, I know things are changing. The boys will be in 11th, and 9th next year, and will be doing independent learning. Sarah and I will be doing The Prairie Primer, and she'll be in 6th grade.
I miss doing Five in a Row or reading aloud on the couch! I miss having homeschool game day, or doing art projects or crafts together.
I know I can't have those days back, but I feel like we're becoming more disconnected, which is normal as they become more independent, and I'm sure necessary as well, but I also feel like I really want some more fun in our homeschool. I don't want them to lose their love for learning.
I don't mean it's all not fun, or all bad, or all boring, or all painfully excrutiating (though some days the kids might not agree  ), we do laugh and have some fun. I just feel like we need to recapture SOME kind of fun in our homeschool next year.
I hope I'm making sense. Anyway, any insight would be most appreciated. Thanks so much. 
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Wendi DeGrandpr
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| Posted: June 08 2006 at 9:30pm | IP Logged
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I echo your feeling here Tracy! We all miss the days when field trips, playing, crafts, and read alounds filled our weeks and everyone was having fun.
I have asked myself so many times this year why it has to stop with High School. Am I doing something wrong? I sense that the pressure to keep records and have a completed transcript has thrown me back inside the box. I need to conform to provide what my dd will need for college. If she doesn't have a proper transcript then how will she get into college. Am I limiting her future by not "conforming"?
I would love to recapture the excitement and anticipation for the days activities that used to exist in our home. I do feel it is easier with the little ones, but then with the High School along side I definately don't do as much with my younger dd. I want to find a way to change this as we approach the next year with our two new additions.
Thanks for the topic - you really struck a chord with me.
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God Bless,
Wendi
Mom to four blessings
"We can do no great things - only small things with great love." Blessed Mother Teresa
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: June 08 2006 at 11:05pm | IP Logged
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Tracy,
I kept thinking of your post as I was replying to this one. So I'm killing two birds with one stone.
P.S. I meant to add, and forgot, that I think with older dc it's more in the doing that builds fond memories than in any planned projects we do.
But...yes...it is a new reality that takes some getting use to. We realize (all too late) how easy it was to make our children happy when they were young. Bittersweet.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Leonie
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| Posted: June 09 2006 at 1:09am | IP Logged
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Tracy,
Nature study and listening to books on CD in the car on our many trips and watchng movies makes "school" more fun for us. I have three teens this year - and it is these little things that we enjoy that help.
Mind you, I don't call it nature study - we just go to the zoo or take a cricket set or ball to the park - and I pack the nature books and camera in the backpack. I start sketching etc and usually someone follows.
Dh too ( if he's home)!
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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Leonie
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| Posted: June 09 2006 at 7:37am | IP Logged
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Forgot to add - my teens still do some lapbooking, too. This is fun and interactive - not a lapbook for each topic but one or two, here and there, alapbook or a homemade book, on a special theme or in an area of interest.
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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TracyQ
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| Posted: June 09 2006 at 8:04am | IP Logged
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Cay,
Thank you for your wise words in the other thread. I was wondering how to include the older ones in the Liturgical Year study with your book next year as well, and now I have a few ideas.
These words you wrote hit me the hardest, and had me nodding profusely:
"It really doesn't have to be complicated at all. Sometimes our expectations for our families (and ourselves) are far too high. We need to enjoy each other more and worry less about the product."
It's true, sometimes I definitely expect too much, both out of the kids, and myself. And I do constantly work on and remind myself to enjoy the journey, and the little moments, and I have made a point to do that along the way, and as the journey has changed. I don't want to be looking back at the past, longing for it, at the expense of missing the TODAY and the joy of them NOW. That's something I have always done fairly well, thankfully.
It's just that I believe there has GOT to be a way to bring some of our fun back into our homeschool, even though they're heavily into their *planned, independent studies.*
I am planning to put God first next year, beginning our day with devotion/faith study. Hopefully by doing that, we can have some great discussion. I'm also planning to do *The Fallacy Detective* together at dinner with their dad included. I think that'll bring some fun back into our learning, and will include their dad, something I've wanted to do for awhile. :o)
I'm also thinking that though we can't afford to take one day a week to do learning games/movies/fun activities/field trips because they need to really focus on their studies more when they're older, we CAN take one day per month!
I'm also thinking it's time to bring back some read aloud time, even though they're older, with books we can read to all three kids, that'll keep their interest, and spark literature discussion, almost like a family book club. But I need to find books that a 16yob, 14yob, and 11yog would like, and that would be appropriate. We've already done The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Redwall, and The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. Hmmm........any suggestions???
Thanks for giving me much to think about, what types of things we might be able to do, how I might be able to do it, and how to keep my expectations real and how to enjoy the simple times, and the simple things that we have every day.
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Does fun learning stop when kids older??
