So we are using a curriculum called Moving Beyond the Page for Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. We are using Zearn and some other apps like Operation Math for math skills, & DuoLingo for Spanish. So far it has been fun. It is nice to spend quality time learning about things like electricity together. We've done some fun experiments with magnets, circuits, and static electricity... I've noticed that the desire for screen time has diminished. Days go by without even having a conversation about a video game - instead he will read or build Legos in his down time. He seems happy and engaged. He really likes the experiments and the Electricity and Magnetism book that he is reading. Sometimes we end up on a tangent and he asks really good questions and we explore those things together. I have to admit that we have had to work on improving our communication as a family and the experience has brought us closer together. Like all change there are bumps along the way - but we knew there would be. To make the whole thing official I submitted the paperwork to the county superintendent of schools - we are on the books as a homeschool family.
Today we visited the Children's Museum of Phoenix. We've been going there since he was an infant, but it still is such a fun place! Today we climbed through the climber together - mama and boy - it was fun. We were going to go as a family, but Sister had a bad morning. Because we couldn't reward that behavior, so she stayed home with Husband. Many people are concerned about the lack of socialization for homeschool kids, but Brother easily found playmates at the Children's Museum and when we were home this weekend he played for hours with a neighbor kiddo from another full-time RV family based in Tempe. We also spent the afternoon swimming with other neighbors in the heated pool here at our park - that was fun to be in the pool in January! Next weekend we were invited to two birthday parties of friends from our old neighborhood, so we will definitely have some fun socialization then. I think the socialization kids do have in the public school environment is superficial and very fragmented - especially given the small amount of free time they have during the day.
We started reading the first Percy Jackson book together (after Sister goes to bed each night). That's a fun one! Overall our life is much more simple. We are less rushed. We have more time. It is a beautiful thing not to be busy.
My school schedule is awesome this semester. Because this is my second semester I am much more settled into the classes that I am teaching. I am more comfortable with the material and I don't stress quite as much before my lectures. (Though I do occasionally have a hard time sleeping the night before!) Husband is taking discrete math and linear algebra - fun, right?!? He's doing well in them, but it is an adjustment going back to school.
We continue to plan our summer trip, our solar system, and what to do with our remaining stuff (which becomes more and more irrelevant as we live with less). I am feeling the urge to purge even more stuff and embrace minimalism even more significantly. Everything is a learning experience, we are constantly present in this adventure - nothing is taken for granted. Life is good, not busy, and simple. It is perfect.
No comments:
Post a Comment