The First Day

For many kids, today was the day to go back to school after the summer break.
Some kids will be heading back into a regular routine, but not necessarily at school.

Our children were on a field trip today.
It was a day intended for introductions.
We have joined a local homeschooling network of families so it was time to get together to introduce some of the kids to each other.

The field trip was a nature walk, and the chance to play with some new friends.
Auren would have been in senior Kindergarten this year,
and Fern would still be home.
They both spent the day out with other kids, and had the benefit of a guided hike.

This is the first year of homeschooling our children, and though we don't have a definitive plan in place, there are plenty of activities to choose from.
So many, in fact, that we can pick and choose which suit our needs best.

Tomorrow will be spent at home, and it is our chance to start structuring the days somewhat.
For now, emphasis will be placed on free play, reading books together, and slipping some applied mathematics in somewhere.
Over the next few weeks, we plan on reviewing everything Auren learned last year, with Fern, since she has a pretty good handle on a lot of it too.

Each week, there will be group activities; some weeks may be busier than others, depending on what is going on.
We need to keep them learning, but it's important to realize when they are tired from too many outings.
On average, kids seem to do well with routine, but repetition can bore them.

Our big advantage over the school system is that we can be responsive to our kids' needs.
We can tailor the days to suit their moods and interests.
We could do an intensive day and then take another easy.
Rainy days can be for sit down learning and fair weather for field trips.
Or we can take a rain day afield to learn about rainfall and water,
or stay in the shade and read when it's hot out.
The choice is ours.
And that's what is most important.