Day 41
30th November 2021
Park Life
Watch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lITzhu8raBw
Today, we met friends at the park and lazed the day away, until the early afternoon.
The kids skated around and we sat & picnicked in the sun. 🌞
I had the nicest time.
When we left, I felt happy & fulfilled and sleepy from the sun. I couldn’t help feeling that we were now living a ‘park life’, since quitting school. 😏
I mean I was literally, ‘rudely awoken by the dustman’ just last week!!
Sometimes, I still struggle with de schooling.
It feels so negligent!
Like, one long lazy holiday, with no place to be and no goals to meet.
De schooling is SO MUCH work for parents.
Textbook learning is so engrained in us, we literally can’t believe there is any other way to learn.
At least, that feeling rears its ugly head, from time to time.
My friend reassures me, it’s scary when you first leave the school system because you don’t know where you’ll end up, but you have to trust that you are doing the right thing for your family.
Her beautiful boys are years ahead of us (although the same age) and I love hearing their stories and how they got to where they are now.
She recommended the YouTube channel, Oversimplified, as a good place to start for history.
It’s fast paced and animated.
I thought I’d check it out, later this week.
The one I watched was on prohibition, but obviously there’s lots to choose from.
I think they’ll like it. It’s funny & informative.
Living Books
I’d never heard of the expression ‘living books’ before.
In case you haven’t either, a living book is defined as written by one person who has a deep passion for the subject they are writing about. The book draws you into the story and expands your imagination & causes you to care about the subject or characters.
I kinda thought that was all books. 🤔
Two history books that have been recommended to us are:
The Story of the World – you can buy it here. (http://thehomeschoolyear.com/History%20of%20world)
And, Our Sunburnt Country, which is older but supposed to be good. I could only find it at eBay and some other second-hand sites.
Board Games
Another big tool for home schoolers is educational board games.
There are literally hundreds. Games that teach maths, language, strategy, you name it.
So, when we ‘officially’ start our learning in term 1, we plan to use board games to keep things fun & not ‘schoolie’.
I just bought Poetry for Neanderthals. It comes with an inflatable wooden club for bopping opponents on the head when they make a mistake.
Should go down a treat! Buy it here. (http://thehomeschoolyear.com/Poetry%20for%20Neanderthals)
Blah Blah Blah
Sometimes I’m unsure of exactly what I’m doing here with this blog.
I wanted a blog to keep myself accountable to the learning, to improve my writing in hopes of getting work as a freelance writer or travel blogger, and I’m writing for other mums who are thinking about home schooling & are wondering what that really looks like.
The day to day.
Because, when you want to start home schooling and you begin looking for answers you find blogs that give a weekly roundup, but I didn’t want this to be a highlights reel.
I wanted it to be real life. Good days, bad days & let’s face it, some boring parts too.
When the kids tell us they’re bored we say, being bored is a part of life. And, being bored is a luxury! 😂 (This always gets an eyeroll).
I feel like, while I loved today, there isn’t really a lot to say.
After the park I got on with chores and the kids watched a movie in separate rooms, and then we went to soccer.
It was all a little bit, ‘Park Life’.
