This has been such a crazy week for us! Between my husband’s car giving up the ghost, my crazy work schedule, and my parents being out of town (not only do we water their plants, my dad often hauls my daughter to orchestra for us) I feel like we are living in the car.
Trying to keep a regular schedule with work and homeschooling is easier some days than others. And I am a schedule kind of a girl. Its very hard for me not to have every minute planned, and to have to deviate from the “norm,” but I am slowly starting to see that learning and a full life do not always adhere to business hours.
On Tuesday we ended up taking the entire day OFF of school because we were so busy running around town trying to get my husband’s car situation taken care of. The nice thing about the flexibility of homeschooling? We can just make it up Saturday. Or not make it up at all since we will have more than enough days in by the end of the year.
So on our way home Tuesday my daughter and I decided to take an impromptu field trip at the historical park by our house. Technically, we could call it a field trip/PE because my big butt climbed up and down this hill:
This park contains the graves of the first white settler in our city, as well as that of the Native American chief who befriended him.
My favorite part about this spot is that it is on a bluff that overlooks 3 states, and where two rivers meet. I saw a lot of beer cans littered around the park, but I would be afraid of falling down the bluff if I was tipsy. Maybe I am just a clumsy drinker.
As you can see, it was a pretty crisp, fall day; even more-so on the hilltop so close to the river.
We discussed some of the weeds and bushes, the rivers, the history of the place … But mostly we just hung out together and appreciated the beauty of the great outdoors.
It was a good lesson for me that I need to unclench relax and just enjoy these moments, and that even if we don’t have our noses buried in a book, we are still learning.
When we first started homeschooling several people suggested that we take some time off of school altogether to decompress, and “unschool.” I don’t think my daughter needs a break, but I am starting to think I do! I am so wrapped up in what conventional schooling looks like, sometimes I forget what real learning does.
I didn’t even haul my DSLR camera along – I just snapped a few photos on my iPhone and hastily edited them in iPhoto.
I definitely plan to incorporate more days like this into our routine as I slowly learn to relax and enjoy this whole homeschooling experience.
How about you? Do you keep a rigid schedule, or are you more of an “unschooler?”
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