We have been on summer break for a month now. Every day, we do what we want to do, but we also have certain goals to reach this summer. Many homeschoolers use their summer break to finish up a history book that they did not finish, for instance. We are doing the same thing.
Andrews Bald picnic with friends
Do you have academic goals for the summer, in order to avoid the summer slide? You probably should. Many libraries have a Summer Reading Program going, with workshops and activities, prizes and craft projects. I am finding out quickly that tweens and teens are not interested in those programs though.
My children looked at me funny last week when I took them to the very first presentation, which was marketed to “all ages.” The American Eagle Foundation brought several birds of prey to show and tell us about their characteristics. My children, ages 11 and 13 right now, were the oldest ones there. Oops!
Personally, I don’t have a problem with it. But they do. “Mom, we are the oldest kids here. Why did you bring us here?” Well, to learn. I learned a few things about the birds myself. They learned some things they did not know. However, that is not how these budding teens think. So good luck taking your middle schoolers to a library workshop from now on!
I smile when I think of this, because we are ch-ch-ch-changing. Personally, I like changes and transitions. New beginnings excite me. So we continue to go hiking with friends, swim at the pool or at the river, read a lot, about 4 hours a day, practice violin and piano (we have auditions coming up at the end of August for the youth symphony), and eat good food. But no library programs. That’s our summer.
Oh, and we are finishing up history, science, personal finance, and poetry, in addition to our daily devotional together. Here and there, I read to them different things from these courses, or they work through them on their own. Some of them are online and I supervise the younger child. The older one is on his own.
