Well, the "hurri-days" seem to be close to the close (okay t
here are a couple more weeks left still). And i find myself making "new year's resolutions" - September feels more like the beginning of the year than January does. The common question I seem to be asked these days is, "so where is Selah going to Nursery School?" ummm....Ecole St Hilaire? Homeschooling, Unschooling, whatever schooling, Here We Come! I'm all ears for ideas, strategies, and the works. The thing I love about the idea of homeschooling is that extra curricular stuff is that much more special. I use to hate the fact that I contributed to children deprived of valuable family time while I taught them dance one or two nights a week and the rest of the 4-7 days a week when they were not at school, exhausted they were throwing themselves into piano, soccer, another dance class, swimming, and some youth group event as well. All are wonderful, and with school in the equation sometimes the little family time that does happen can be stressful, hurried, and argumentative. We had hoped that Selah would start Suzuki Violin, but we're going to hold off for another year for that. But she will start a couple of dance classes while I teach a couple at the same time - and I feel very ok with that, since she will be home with me during the day time. Ok - off my soapbox and on to another. Swimming. I found for myself, swimming lessons to be stressful when I was young - but I am so glad that my parents insisted on it. Since then I have taken the ability to swim for granted. This past Aug. long weekend we were at St Malo beach camping with several other families from our church...and sadly we witnessed an adolescent boy who lost his life stepping too deep and didn't know how to swim. The reaction of his parents will be forever etched in my mind as people surrounded the boy doing CPR...I have a new found respect for the medical community and emergency workers. The girl I was with, her husband was the paramedic who took charge of the situation. It's hard to just shake off an experience like that. I prayed with a couple of the Muslim women who were in the boy's family, prayed for peace, for resuscitation....I was surprised that they were open and welcomed me praying with them....what can you do?
here are a couple more weeks left still). And i find myself making "new year's resolutions" - September feels more like the beginning of the year than January does. The common question I seem to be asked these days is, "so where is Selah going to Nursery School?" ummm....Ecole St Hilaire? Homeschooling, Unschooling, whatever schooling, Here We Come! I'm all ears for ideas, strategies, and the works. The thing I love about the idea of homeschooling is that extra curricular stuff is that much more special. I use to hate the fact that I contributed to children deprived of valuable family time while I taught them dance one or two nights a week and the rest of the 4-7 days a week when they were not at school, exhausted they were throwing themselves into piano, soccer, another dance class, swimming, and some youth group event as well. All are wonderful, and with school in the equation sometimes the little family time that does happen can be stressful, hurried, and argumentative. We had hoped that Selah would start Suzuki Violin, but we're going to hold off for another year for that. But she will start a couple of dance classes while I teach a couple at the same time - and I feel very ok with that, since she will be home with me during the day time. Ok - off my soapbox and on to another. Swimming. I found for myself, swimming lessons to be stressful when I was young - but I am so glad that my parents insisted on it. Since then I have taken the ability to swim for granted. This past Aug. long weekend we were at St Malo beach camping with several other families from our church...and sadly we witnessed an adolescent boy who lost his life stepping too deep and didn't know how to swim. The reaction of his parents will be forever etched in my mind as people surrounded the boy doing CPR...I have a new found respect for the medical community and emergency workers. The girl I was with, her husband was the paramedic who took charge of the situation. It's hard to just shake off an experience like that. I prayed with a couple of the Muslim women who were in the boy's family, prayed for peace, for resuscitation....I was surprised that they were open and welcomed me praying with them....what can you do?
I am always surprised at how busy families end of being in the run around to put their kids in a bunch of activities! I'm sure that you'll find the right balance for you and your family and Selah will, I'm sure, flourish under your teaching. Schooling can be a tough decision, but I'm sure you'll be blessed.
ReplyDeleteHi Patti-Jean,
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to talking with you more about unschooling. We were having some tension around that in our family this weekend (between Dave and I) and I'm not sure what to do. Plenty of time, however, to figure things out.
I thought of you tonight when I was at a parent potluck that we attend. One of the moms teaches at the school where the boy who drowned and his siblings have attended. The school staff were all very sad and the parent talk tonight was all about swimming lessons. I'm a self-taught swimmer who only took official lessons just before Addie was born. So important, even though I know it can be an anxious time for kids. I liked it that you prayed with people at the scene of the accident. It can feel like going out on a limb, but it means alot to people. It was a totally different situation, but when we found my grandmother in her apartment, passed away, the paramedics who showed up were lovely and one offered to pray with our family before they took her body away. It was really meaningful to us.
Anyways, hope to see you again soon. Miss you.
Where are you?
ReplyDelete