What about socialization, you ask?

Time for question #3 from Back To Homeschool Week at Randi's Blog.

Wednesday, August 8---Getting out there...
Extra-curricular activities, community involvement, volunteering, sports teams, music lessons, making sure your kids have opportunities to be social, co-ops, etc., etc., etc...

This is an area I excel. I am VERY good at getting the kids out of the house. I wish I were not so good. I just want to stay home!

As I have mentioned, A goes to the Scottish Rite Dyslexia Lab School 4 days a week for an hour and 45 min. This program goes for 2 years and one summer session. (We already did the summer session) It is downtown which is about 30 min away.

I also have a tutor for my oldest son. We struggled through Pre Algebra and I just could not see how we were going to make it in Algebra 1. He could have taken it at the co op, but I just felt that he was not quite ready as we had done such a poor job at Pre Algebra.

I talked to the Pre Algebra teacher at the co op asking her for advice, and she offered to tutor him in Algebra 1 & 2. God bless that woman! So they are going at his pace and will are about to finish up Algebra 1 and start Algebra 2 so he’ll be ready to start Geometry at the local community college the following fall.

We also have a Co Op. I LOVE co op. That is one of the biggest blessings to me as a homeschool mom.

I do not like to teach science. I do not like to teach hands on messy things like art. And doing science experiments on my kitchen table gives me the cold shivers. This is why I love our co op.

I am not an artist but two of my children are very artistic. They get to learn about art from other people who love art. This is really worth something to me. Also, I really feel like some things are better taught in a group if it is at all possible. I know B learns so much more from his Apologia science classes when he can take them with others, and discuss the experiments and what he has read with his peers and a teacher.

I also think writing is better taught in a group. They need a reason to write, a venue to show off all their hard work. I do think all these things can be taught at home, but I am so glad I have the co op.

I teach two children’s literature classes at our co op because that is my passion. I just love picture books and chapter books. My kids are too old for most picture books now, but I still get to share them with little ones via the co op.

We are also heavily involved in AWANA at our church. The boys are Leaders in Training and work hard with those kids. The girls are in the program and love it. For years D and I were the 5th and 6th grade boy’s director and secretary. We are taking this year off from that, but the kids will still be in AWANA.

The boys also are very involved in their Youth Group at church. I am so pleased with this group. They have some great kids and stellar leaders. It is not the youth group of my days!

One thing we do not do is sports. We decided early on that with 4 kids we just could not handle that kind of schedule. Because we live in a neighborhood with many missionaries, near the missionary base, we have lots of opportunity for sports. The boys play soccer every morning with other kids their age up to adult.

They also get neighborhood games of soccer, basketball, or whatever going. It is kinda like living in the 50’s around here as the kids actually go outside and play games with each other. No need to create opportunities for them to get exercise. They get plenty.

I also have a Monday Night bible study that is wonderful. It is full of many homeschoolers, but also some public schoolers and private schoolers. Not all are from my church, some are from other denominations. I love this bible study. They are wonderful ladies that help point me to God and it also allows me an outlet to speak to people over 16! :o)

So there you have it. We do the outside the house thing WELL. I look longingly back at the days when the kids were smaller and we actually HOMEschooled. :o)