Time

Yesterday I took Hope to a pitching lesson at 11:00 in the morning and I thought to myself, "This is another reason I am thankful we home school."  The kids have more time and we can be a lot more flexible.  I don't think the normal school system schedule could ever align with our schedule as nicely as having total freedom to decide ourselves.  Don't get me wrong.... Hope and Sam have things they need to complete by a certain time, but they have the freedom to schedule their tasks.  (This is another huge lesson they are learning, especially as they get older and I let them take over more and more of their scheduling and work more independently.)

I also think about when I was in school and how much time was wasted getting to and from school, walking between classes, stopping at my locker, settling down a classroom before a teacher can start, etc.....    My kids learned pretty quickly as they got older that they had a lot more free time if they got their work done during the day.  Then they have the evening to spend with their family, babysit, develop a business, do chores, listen to radio dramas they enjoy (They love Adventures in Odyssey and Jonathan Park, for example.), play outside, etc.....  I think back to my friend's comment about sending her kids to school all day, then fighting over homework all night, and I am so glad we don't do that.   We do struggle sometimes because they may put something off, but when do kids not do that?

One very important thing I have to mention is that we never let them watch TV or online shows during the day.  That would be a time-sucker and be counter-productive.  (I have to admit Rosie gets a half hour a day to go on Grandma and Grandpa's i-Pad.)  In the evening after all of the work is done, Hope and Sam have been watching old TV shows on Netflix.  The latest favorites have been Leave it To Beaver and The Dick Van Dyke Show.

I have also found that the older kids get up and work out in the morning and then shower.  How many teenagers would love to shower after gym in their own bathroom!

Here are some examples of times we have taken vacation from school:

When Aunt Ging had twins a couple years ago, Hope was able to go spend a few days helping.

We planned a vacation in late January and we don't have to worry about school schedules..... except they are missing one day at co-op, I guess, but ultimately I am the teacher and I don't plan on counting the missed day against them.  Hope was actually quite upset she was missing it and I had to reassure her many times it would be OK. :-)

My aunt's funeral a couple months ago was on a Friday and we all took a day to go to Fairmont, MN.

The kids go on lunch or breakfast dates with Mom or Dad and we get some great one on one time in the middle of the day.

If Terry and I need to go out of town on business, we can schedule for the kids to stay at their aunt and uncle's (or wherever) and not worry about missing school.


The last thing I can think of before signing off for the day is that the kids have time to focus on what their passions are.  There is time to work on being excellent at something.  Sam has picked baseball. There is time to do specific workouts, throw the ball against a wall, swing a bat, run, study the game, etc....., but the school work also has to get done, of course.  Hope has more interests, but the same idea still applies.  She has time to focus, even if it is on several things at once. LOL

Well - I've got to get Rosie off the iPad now! :-)  LOL again.