First Day of School

Oh the excitement of school starting up again.  I loved going back to school when I was a kid.  The new books, new clothes, new shoes, new school supplies....all of it!!  Well, I didn't like thinking about the nervousness of having a new teacher and not knowing people, but loved the rest.

My husband on the other hand absolutely hated going back to school.  Would rather cut off his fingers and toes than go back.  I suppose that's a typical ADD boy response.  To him school was a prison.

Well, I get the privilege of introducing a first day of school to my kids every year.  (Whatever "first day of school" means in a homeschool???)  I suppose for us, we try to get more disciplined with our time, and try to move forward with whatever we are working on.  Maybe start new math books, maybe not.

When the kids were little I'd always start out the "first day" by making a batch of cookies.  It was fun.  I talked about all the ingredients that go into learning....that the ingredients need time to "bake" to become a full fledged "cookie"....and so on.  They liked the end result!!

One year it was in the 90's on the "first day".  So we headed to the beach!!  It was great!!!  All the public school kids were back in school so we had the whole beach to ourselves.  I brought a book to read-a-loud while they ate lunch and they had all day "physical education".    

My plan for Labor Day weekend was to get my "schedule" nailed down for the kids.  Thursday I realized I was way to behind to get any sort of schedule up and running by Tuesday.  On Friday I read the first line of the curriculum I had purchased this summer.  It told me to read The Three R's by Ruth Beechick.  So I did.  And I am extremely thankful I did.  She gently reminded me of my teaching style....natural and relaxed.

So....what are we doing for the first day of school?????


FIELD TRIP!!!!


We are going to the BIG library!!!  The first time we went I overheard one of my children say, "Wow!!!  This is better than an amusement park."  Anyway.....the BIG library and Munsinger Gardens.  I figure in one fun day we'll cover Language Arts, Fine Arts, Science, Math(they'll work on that in the car!) and History in the evening when their Dad reads to them!  Plus whatever fun and interesting subjects they find at the library.

My kids don't know it though....they think they're starting the DREADED "school schedule"!!!  I sure hope my plan doesn't backfire.  I think I might have some dissenters.....who think they are overloaded this year and can't get it all done.  Or others who will scream "But I didn't get a shower in....I can't go without a shower."(ummm....child....you take three a day...you'll be fine!)  So who knows......we may end up here....staring at a blank schedule!!

Either way.....thanks to Ruth and my relaxed, natural approach we'll have a good day.  But I sure hope they let me go to the BIG library!:)