Planty Family

Planty Family

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Adventures in Homeschooling



We just started homeschooling a month and a half ago. It has been incredibly challenging. I feel like every week we start from scratch looking for the best method of homeschooling for us. In our brief six weeks, I've contemplated sending my kids back to public school about 600 times. I worry that I'm ruining them, that they might fall behind, that any meltdowns or character flaws are because we are homeschooling, etc., etc., etc.

Today, I absolutely knew that homeschooling is the best choice for us. Someone from our local homeschooling Facebook group arranged a visit to the Denver Aquarium. The girls got to attend a class. Our instructor, Heather, was great and we learned some amazing things about sharks. Then we got to make our own way through the many exhibits at the aquarium--for as long as we wanted. We spent five hours going through the exhibits several times. The girls were completely rapt EVERY time we went through.



My oldest loves animals and has read many nonfiction books about all kinds of creatures. I was able to witness all of those facts she had read about come alive before her eyes. It was breathtaking. I got to see learning for the JOY of it. It was beautiful. My second loved the urchins and the jellyfish. She especially loved getting to touch the stingrays. It was so much fun to watch.



I am writing this post so I remember why I am doing this the next (hundred) times I doubt that we can make homeschooling work. It also brings to light something I value in our homeschooling: hands-on learning. It may seem small, but it gives me some much-needed direction.

So, take heart, fellow homeschooling mamas! I promise, there are wonderful days tucked in there somewhere among the doubtful, discouraging, frustrating days.

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