| Author | |
albeto
Forum Pro
Joined: March 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 105
|
| Posted: July 22 2010 at 6:32pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Spending time outside is a great way to spend the day, imo. I think there is just so much value to it in so many ways. But I'm at a loss as to how to make it work in my family. I have three kids, one of which (15yo) has a social phobia and will refuse do do things with other people. Family is fine, adults are fine, but other kids are too hard for him still. My youngest (10) is a social flutterby and my middle child (13) is just now starting to gain the kind of confidence needed to really enjoy being with new people her age. None of them have retained friends from school (my youngest has, but it's only a matter of time - it's really, just a matter of finding the time for them with school, homework, extracurricular activities, etc). My youngest started homeschooling a year ago, my oldest, three years ago. We're not really "tapped" into the homeschooling scene here as most people find friends when young and go off the radar or go to high school at the local ps.
Where we live is mild throughout the year with rain in the winter and hot hot days in summer. Between the triple digit temps, UV rays, and air quality index, summer afternoons really aren't spent outdoors. So many homeschoolers around here go to brick and mortar high schools so we are loosing peers as the kids get older. We live in suburbia and there are bicycle paths to lots of places, but parks are "boring" for teens and peers are generally in organized activities all day.
What do you do to spend time out of your house? Out of doors? When the weather is not conducive to being outside?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: July 22 2010 at 7:02pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well you can take up bicycling 
You could do school outside.
You could let the ones that want to be involved be involved in a sport or group outdoor activity, without requiring it of those not interested.. they can watch the siblings and get outside and not have to interact with peers unless they wanna.
get some decent rain gear and don't let the rain stop you.. it can be fun to walk in the rain.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
cathhomeschool
Board Moderator
Texas Bluebonnets
Joined: Jan 26 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7303
|
| Posted: July 22 2010 at 8:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
It's hard with older ones who don't have friends. My teens have slowly lost friends for a variety of reasons and started ps last year so are slowly (and sometimes painfully) making new friends.
Swimming is a great option when it's hot if your kids are willing. Or would they try indoor skating or mini-golf if they could go with you or with one friend who wasn't busy? Does your library have any summer programs that you could attend with the kids? What about buying a year membership to a local museum that has reciprocal agreements elsewhere that you might go (more bang for your buck)? Is there a local email group that you could ask about art classes or some other "class" that the kids could take and meet new people? Mine were not open to going to park or skate days with a bunch of people they didn't know, but a "class" was different and they did meet some nice kids that way. Once the weather gets cooler you could go to parks or wooded areas for nature study and to draw/paint. My teens loved exploring through the woods at parks.
__________________
Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mom2mpr
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 16 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1550
|
| Posted: July 22 2010 at 10:51pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
One thing that gets my kids out often are their pets. We have a dog, chickens (not really pets-we are going to eat them but they are fun to watch while they are here  ), and 3 bunnies. They could spend hours somedays just playing with the bunnies. I find the bunnies to be pleasant pets, quiet, fairly clean, cute and soft and easy to care for.
We moved to where it is cold/snowy in winter and now that we have the right clothing and equipment/toys we do OK in winter. When in Rome do as the Romans do, what do people in your area do outside? Go try it.
Try to tap into some homeschool groups and you will find some parents of teens looking for the same things you are. Don't close the door yet Go try.
__________________
Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: spending time out doors
