{Using a Checklist to Guide Schoolwork}

When my kids entered their middle elementary years, it was exciting to see how independent they had become. I could place an assignment before them and tend to a younger sibling and, for the most part, they’d be able to stay on task without straying too far. As helpful as it was, I still found that I was interrupted by too many “what should I do now?” questions. So I took the advice of a friend and developed a checklist.

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{Soup Time}

Fall is a whirl of activity, sweeping by like the birch leaves that litter our sidewalk. It's my favorite time of year. I used to think it had something to do with my birthday being in the fall. And then one day I learned that my birthday is not in the fall. It's really on the tail-end of summer. I was a bit discouraged when I realized that. Oh, well. It's still my favorite time of year.

I think of sweaters and steaming mugs of cocoa, the thick smell of smoke rising from the chimneys as I take my afternoon walk, little girls in plaid skirts and Mary Janes, thick books, sharpened pencils . . . and I think of soup.

So last week I hatched a soup plan. You see, I could eat soup every day. And it makes such a great lunch. So I decided that Saturday would be my Soup Making Day. (We shall see how long my enthusiasm lasts.) Last week I made a big pot of Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa. I stored it away in the fridge, and on Monday during our morning break I popped it on the stove. By the time I had returned from my crispy-blustery pre-lunch walk, I had a nice, hot pot of soup waiting for me. It was such a treat, and it saved me a bunch of time.

The kids were divided on this particular recipe (and Certain People omitted the tomatoes, as shown above), but overall they gave it a fairly good rating. Inspired by our latest family read, All-of-a-Kind Family, I served each child a small mug of soup as a "first course." It really is a delightful read. Set during the turn of the century, the author describes the lunch hour when the children come home from school:

All of Mama's family liked soup. They learned to like it because Mama always served it at the beginning of her dinner. There was a strict rule about not wasting any food in Mama's house. This rule had been made into a chant by the children: No soup, no meat. No meat, no vegetables. No vegetables, no fruit. No fruit, no penny.

In order to get the next thing, they had to give a decent crack at the first thing on the menu. (I've done this with dinner salad, too, and it works marvelously. We pretend like we're at a restaurant, and I serve the salad first. Once the plates are empty, they receive the main dish.)

So at lunch on Monday, they were hungry and would eat anything. After they had given the soup a fair shot, they were welcome to either have more soup (Bethie and Aidan took me up on this) or make a sandwich if they still had a rumbly in their tumbly. (They also wondered if they might get a penny. Or perhaps a nickel. Inflation, you know.) 

The soup lasted for three days. I even had enough to bring to my kiddos' piano teacher and her husband. (Yes, they happen to be my parents.) Bethie suggested, "We should bring soup for Noni's lunch every week!" And I agreed.

You see, our whirl of activity brings us to my parents' every Wednesday for lessons. I bring school work for the kids, but one of my favorite things to do is to curl up with my Little Miss for some Beatrix Potter. Today we enjoyed The Tale of Two Bad Mice. She finds this particular story to be quite naughty. (Which means she loves it.) Often, the autumn sun pours through the family room window, casting a patch of light on the floor. I've been known to curl up right in that spot, cat-like, to soak in the warmth as the scales run up and down the piano, with Little Miss at my side. With the smell of soup warming on the stove, it's like a taste heaven.

* * * * * * *

I'm eager to try some new soups as I develop my routine. I might stick with a favorite -- Zuppa Toscana -- this week (oh, so good), but I do love trying new recipes, too. Especially at the recommendation of others. Let me know if you have a favorite, and feel free to share a link if you have one. My tummy thanks you in advance. (And so does my mother.)

{A Glimpse into Our Homeschool: Afternoon Handwork}

A little while ago I posted some ideas for dealing with b-o-r-e-d-o-m and its attack on little (or not so little) people in the home. One suggestion was to write several activities on Popsicle sticks, place the sticks in a jar and invite the children to pick out an idea when ennui strikes.

We started school last week, and I've found that the little stick idea is coming in quite handy. It's especially nice during our afternoon reading session when I suggest that my kids choose "handwork" to bring into the living room.

But let me back up and give you a little glimpse into our home on a typical afternoon:

The children have a lunch break from 12:00 to 1:00. Often, if the weather and our activities permit, I sneak out for a 30 minute walk during this time. It's a wonderfully uplifting and invigorating way to reboot before hopping back to an afternoon of school work.

When I return, I prep the kids for what's to come. Usually I say something like, "We'll start reading at 1:00, so pull together your handwork!"

There is much happy scurrying (they like handwork), and the children eventually congregate in the living room, hands full of quiet activities. (Many of these activities are written on the Popsicle sticks, just in case the little one needs a quick idea before we dive into our books.)

"Handwork" is anything that will quietly occupy a listener for about 30 or 40 minutes. It could be knitting, sketching, coloring, sewing, building or creating. Once they're all settled, I squish down into my rocking chair and begin our Bible chapter for the day.

This month we're reading Matthew. Before I begin the chapter, I give each child an age appropriate detail to listen for as I read. (For example, when we read chapter four today, I asked Aidan to be listening for the names of the first two disciples.) This keeps their minds, hands and hearts focused -- a perfect after-lunch transition.

After our Bible chapter, we move on to our literature selection. We just voted on our next book, and the kids unanimously chose All of a Kind Family. So today we started the first chapter as they continued with their activities.

This reading time provides an ideal pause before we jump into the final afternoon work of science, history or art. My kids' hands have been creating, their minds have been working, and their hearts have been receiving. Which means that my heart is nourished, too.

* * * * *

Here are some favorite "handwork" activities we've collected along the way. Many are also featured on my school room Popsicle sticks which Little Miss Avery Kate is loving right now. I'm not sure how long her enthusiasm will last, but I shan't borrow trouble from tomorrow.

(One more note: I'm including a link to each item, just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Some of these we've acquired from different sources, including garage sales, thrift stores and as hand-me-downs. So keep an eye out!)

Okay, here goes:

Wedgits

Connectagons

Pattern Play

Pattern Blocks

Dynamagz

Coloring Books

Tangrams

Colorku

Equilibrio

Perler Beads

Hugg-a-Planet

Engraving Art

What ideas can you add to our list? I'll fill up as many Popsicle sticks as I can!  

{Seize the Summer: How to Grow During the Break}

With the last day of school quickly approaching, I find myself experiencing conflicting emotions. I do look forward to the change of pace, the relaxed days and the beckoning outdoors. But to be completely honest, I also feel a bit anxious. Going from a fairly rigid school schedule to practically no schedule at all can create a whiplash effect.

Join me over at The Homeschool Classroom today to continue reading!

{The Truth About Summer}

We're winding up the school year this week, and already I'm starting to feel suffocated. Not by the heat. (Because there isn't any.) And not by over-scheduling. (Because we don't usually cram a whole lot into the summer months.)

It's a panicky sort of suffocation that I might even venture to call a depression. I tell my husband that I'm not so sure if I even like summer, and he's convinced that I'm deranged. (And then he offers to get groceries and make dinner. I love this man.)

Don't worry. I'm not going all Sylvia Plath on you. I just don't know what else to call it. But I wonder if this floundering melancholy is common among homeschool moms.

Here's the lowdown. We schedule and schedule our days from September to June, and our lives revolve around making some sense and order out of the curriculum, lessons and chores that seem to fill every waking moment. Then, on some arbitrary day in June we say, "Okay, folks. All done!" And the kids shriek and shout because that's what the release of tension does.

But like the cartoon we silently wonder, "Now what?" Guess we'll just walk right back in and keep on doing what we always do, even if it no longer revolves around memorizing presidents and reducing fractions.

I sometimes envy my public school friends who look forward to that last day of school. They know it means that they get to spend all summer with their kiddos and soak up every minute that they can before putting them back on the big yellow bus in September when they will, no doubt, dissolve in tears after a blissful three month holiday. (This is a completely accurate portrayal, I'm sure.)

I don't put my kids on the bus. (Sometimes I really want to.) They're home, not only during the summer, but during the fall, the winter and the spring. Every. Blessed. Season. Don't get me wrong. I love it. (I repeat this to myself from time to time as a mantra.) But I'm also aware that there isn't a marked change that occurs from one season to the next.

We're still all home, and we're still all spending the whole entire day together. Still.

So this is where my suffocation creeps in. Isn't there supposed to be a drastic shift from school days to summer days? Yes, it's great to be done grading math papers. And yes, I love sleeping in. But still.

This morning I began my day in the Psalms, which I'm learning is a good way to begin my summer days. I focus on Psalms 145-150, because that's where I want my heart to be. The Psalms of praise. I am created to praise, no matter the circumstances, and will be most true to myself when I am doing just that.

When I feel suffocated, I remind myself of the rhythm that comforts.

I read Psalms of praise. Even if I don't feel all praisy, I know my spirit is refreshed by the truth of His word. It's a good way to begin the day. (Especially when accompanied by a hot cup of tea.) I'm learning to observe other "sacred pauses" throughout the day, and have set my phone alarm to remind me to praise through the Psalms at intervals throughout the day.

I do the next thing. Years ago my mother-in-law taught me about Elisabeth Elliot's wise words. When I feel burdened with a weight that I can't describe, when I want to sit down and mope, when I want to stay in bed and wallow, I choose instead to do the next thing. Do that thing in front of me that needs to be done. That basket of laundry that needs to be folded? Fold it.

I choose small goals. This is similar to doing "the next thing." Rather than "clean the entire house today," I give myself a pat on the back for scouring the kitchen sink and wiping the milk that spilled in the fridge. I know that tackling the bathroom in one day is realistic. Organizing the garage is not.

I focus on the gifts. Even this morning, as I forced myself to list "the good," I soon found myself overwhelmed with the great number of gifts. God is so good to His people. I thought of my kids laughing as they jumped on the trampoline. I was grateful for their ability to pour their own bowls of cold cereal when I didn't feel like whipping up some impressive super mom organic breakfast. I thanked him for my husband, working hard to support six people.

I anticipate the good. I know there will be lots of fun adventures this summer. I look forward to camping, a family reunion, time with my grandparents, jaunts to the river and the second annual Cousins Camp. In the past I've used summer goals for our family (which we'll do again this year) and my own personal goals, too, like the pursuit of knowledge, health and beauty. These keep me grounded and a tad more sane.

I know I won't be in a fog for three months straight. It just kind of feels like it from time to time. So I remember the good. I cling to grace. I hold on to the truth. I remember where I've come from and I remember where I'm going. And I thank God that I'm His.


How do you respond to the summer months?

{Easing in After the Holidays}

Jumping into a rigorous school schedule following the holidays can be a bit of a shock to our systems. The kids are tired from two or three (or more) weeks of weird sleeping schedules, unusual eating habits and plenty of excitement and stimulation. The transition to a full day of structured learning can be daunting, for both the children and parents.

But we obviously need to start sometime, somehow . . . Right?

Join me over at The Homeschool Classroom to continue reading.