Man... I am exhausted! Some days just take it out of me, and today was definitely one of those days! We got a lot done though, which always make me feel good. But I'm afraid all I can ever think about at the end of a day like today is what we didn't do.
We didn't go outside. It was too rainy.
I didn't get in any solid scripture study. I slept in.
I didn't do a gospel lesson with the girls. Again... I slept in. :P
. . . Okay, that's all the pessimism I'm going to allow myself for the day.
The truth is, it was a great day. My sweet husband, Mr. C, let me sleep in for which I am quite grateful. When I did get up, the girls had already been fed and were ready to get going for the day. So I asked R, "Do you want to do math, reading, or writing?"
"Math!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. I smile to myself just thinking about it. This is what I love about homeschool. No stigmas to learning. This is what we do all day long everyday, for fun! :)
So we did one day's worth of math on Easy Peasy (see resources tab above,) and when I asked her what she wanted to do now, she said (and I'm not making this up!) "More math!" We repeated this cycle several times. I lost track of how many days worth of math we did, but it was a lot, especially considering that these weren't all the most engaging math games ever. Granted, there's not a ton to do for each day, and I don't make her do all the writing out of math problems. But still... she's four.
So maybe you're sitting there saying, "This isn't realistic. Even if this little girl does feel so excited about school, it's a fluke! Normal kids don't act like that. Besides, in few years it will probably wear off anyway."
Maybe... but I don't think so. And I'll tell you why: This is all she knows. Some people might say that I've tricked her into believing that school is fun, but I see it differently. I have framed a lifestyle and home atmosphere that has allowed her natural curiosities and enthusiasm to flourish instead of being smothered by certain social norms.
I don't believe for one second that math is hard or boring. I believe that it is fascinating and enjoyable, but we have been fooled into thinking otherwise. Sometimes this comes as we become adults and find addition problems to be old news, and some of it might come from hearing peers complain about math until we have it fixed in our minds that we should find it difficult too.
However it comes about, one of the best outcomes of homeschooling is the opportunity to put the fun back into learning--or to save it from being destroyed in the first place if you get to start early enough!
So, how do you create this atmosphere?
First, don't be afraid to severely limit your children's media time. And be selective about what media you do allow. For us this has meant that media time occurs between three and five in the afternoon, and I encourage them towards the shows that are the most educational or morally uplifting. The reason for this should be obvious: we all know how attention sucking media is, especially television. How many kids, when given the option between video games and TV or learning activities are going to pick the latter? Sadly, even you and I, being adults and knowing the value of learning and the consequences for wasting our time rarely choose to educate ourselves in our spare moments. Therefore, make the choice easy for your kids. Media has it's time, but the rest of the time is learning time!
Another key to creating the right atmosphere is your attitude. Mom sets the tone for the house, and if you are enthusiastic about school, then your kids will be too. They follow your lead, especially at these young tender ages. As we create norms and habits in these early years and consistently stick to them, they will become expected and comforting parts of everyday life even as the children grow older.
My last tip is to create the right environment for learning by surrounding your kids with books and educational toys. I try to turn every toy into a learning toy. When we play with blocks we do more than just stack them or build creatively: we count them, we organize them by colors and shapes, we make patterns, and so on. I'm limited only by my own creativity and imagination.
I hope as you read these ideas you find them inspiring and motivational, not burdensome. The main point here is to create a learning lifestyle. Homeschooling for us is not something we do between such and such hours each day, nor did it begin at a certain age for our girls. We don't take breaks on weekends, or summers, or even sick days really! Because homeschooling is the way we live. For me personally, homeschooling is synonymous with parenting... but that's a whole other post. ;)
