Our family has been enjoying some time off from our formal school lessons the past couple of weeks, and we still have a couple more weeks to enjoy. On our first week of break we headed to a few nature parks/hiking trails. Even though we aren’t enjoying formal lessons at the moment, we have still done a lot of learning. On our hikes the boys got to experience nature in a way they hadn’t been able to yet. We talked about the importance of respecting nature, and how we must leave it the way we found it. As well as how doing these things will ensure that others get to enjoy it, and that it *the nature setting we are in* is able to continue to thrive.
Not only were T.B.M. able to learn about respecting nature, we also discussed camouflage when we came across some lizards on our hike. We talked about adaptations, evolution, and when General Disarray mentioned how lizards would turn blue or green if they were around something blue or green I asked him what color would the lizards need to be where we were. He then went on to determine that the lizards would have to be brown *which they were* since the ground was brown, and if they had been in the grassy hill area near us they would have been green. I pressed as to why he had determined this, and he went on to state that they would need to hide in order to protect themselves, they could only do that if they matched the area around them. Which is the whole point of camouflage and we didn’t need a book to learn that! Woohoo!
Aside from the unscripted learning there is the family bonding component that really makes homeschooling great for us. Due to work commitments The Spouse hasn’t had a solid block of time off of work since 2009. This was the best time for him to finally get the time that has been building up. Since we school at home there was no question that if he got the time off we were going to take it and enjoy it. We make our schedule and when we can add in quality family time we do it. It’s an advantage we wouldn’t have any other way. I can’t picture life without this advantage, T.B.M. get this amazing benefit of rare moments learning and growing with their father. Their time with him is so precious, and we are able to increase the time they have with him because they are schooled at home.
There is nothing more beautiful then hearing the laughs of your children while they run free with their hero. While homeschooling isn’t always easy, it has brought more to our lives then we ever anticipated. And for that I am truly grateful.
Copyright(c)2011 Rayven Holmes
February 16, 2011 at 8:39 AM
That is the best part of homeschooling taking time off to just be a family:)! We are taking a week in late February to do just that and I can't wait!
Thanks for the recommendation for Our Whole Lives -- off to check it out right now.