I have not posted much in the forums, but I am trying to be more active, so since this has been bothering me, I thought posting would make me feel better. Anyway, my family and I are going away on vacation for about three weeks. So this means that no schoolwork will be done, and even though I am looking forward to vacation, I just can't help feeling like my kids are not learning what they should. My kids are 8 and 5, and we school year round, with the exception of our three week spring vacation, and a week or two here and there. I know we all need a break, but I still kind of feel like a bad parent/teacher for not making them do some sort of work each day. I really want to enjoy my vacation so any suggestions on how I can just relax?
Have them keep a journal of their vacation. Involve them in the planning. They can map out their route, and if driving, design something like AAA's "Trip Tik" for each one for them to keep track of where you are. Stuff like that.
I would just let them enjoy the nice long vacation and get back to work when it is over. That is me though. You do what works for your family and have a nice vacation.
You need a top ten list to review to ease your mind. You already know these things, but maybe you'll feel better if we confirm what you know. 1. You homeschool year round, so your summer break can be taken in any season. 2. Learning does not stop just because you stopped planning for it. 3. Children, especially at the age of 5 and 8, need time to just be. Time to explore. They need time to make their own undirected observations. 4. One of the perks you get for making the sacrificial decision to homeschool is that you can take a three week vacation in the spring; enjoy it. 5. Just being with Mom and Dad and strengthening that relations is as important as learning addition at this age. 6. I remember my mother making me read Charlotte's Web aloud on our summer vacation to Myrtle Beach. That was 33 years ago and I can still feel the frustration of having to struggle through that book while the pool lay below us and the ocean sounds could be heard nearby. 7. Not to pick on my mom, but she tried to force learning on vacations in other ways too. (I think she was a wanna-be homeschooler who had to get her fix in the summers, because homeschooling was unheard of in our world then.) My brothers and I tease her to this day about how she made us stand next to her as she read EVERY word on EVERY plaque while we dutifully (though not convincingly) feigned interest. I'm done...someone else will have to add 8, 9 and 10!
Just forget about school and enjoy your vacation. It will be fine. DS used to hate when I tried to make vacation into school but learning never stops. You will be suprised how much they learn when they aren't actually in the books. If you school year around they will catch up anyway.If you don't, they will still catch up.
I agree with everyone else let them enjoy it. They will learn alot on vacation and you wouldn't even give it a second though. Just go have fun.
Let me see if I can come up with a good #8, #9 and #10 #8--forcing too much on kids (especially young ones) can be VERY counter-productive #9--would you want to be taking a vacation from a full-time job, just to be told that you have to do something related to work in order to take the vacation? #10--In public/private schools they have a lot of time completely off of school. Then there are the days they actually go but get nothing or next to nothing done. Think back to those days right before a break (down here they are half days) hardly any teacher can get the kids to really learn anything. Then there are the assemblies where the schools try to do what parents should be doing (sex ed, drug prevention, etc.) Then there are standardized testing days, not really learning anything new. I could go on and on, but even the "school" days are not always filled with learning. Also, some people think that kids shouldn't even do formal academics until 8 or even as late as 12 (the Moore's). They have shown that kids can learn a great deal when they are ready and "catch" up to grade level.
I was going to say, plenty of kids go through the public school system and they don't have planned/structured learning on vacation. And that's okay! And I agree, just cause you don't plan a lesson doesn't mean they won't learn anything. I know some of the times my son has learned the most about a subject is one that is of interest to him, at a time I didn't plan anything. Opportunities to learn just present themselves sometimes, and it's okay to go with the flow. But what would REALLY be so bad about them not learning ANYTHING for 3 weeks? I know one of the reasons we are homeschooling next year is so my 6 year old will have more free time and a chance to be a kid (as of right now, in public school, he has only 2 free hours a day) There is plenty of time for them to become overachievers, for now, let them be kids! And don't feel guilty about it mom! I'm sure the teacher could use a break too!
Hug, kiss and laugh with your family. Sleep in. Stay up late. Take a nap. Take off your watch. Eat when you are hungry (not at a set time). Not sure where you are going or what you will be doing on vacation so it is hard to say what you can do other than those ideas listed above. Have fun!
Just for the record though, I do kinda get where you are coming from. Now that we will be homeschooling I think our 'vacations' (if hubby ever finds a job and we can afford one again!) will be like long field trips! LOL We live out in the boonies, so I do kinda plan for vacations to be learning oriented, since a lot of things are too far from us for a day trip.... our 'time off from school' will most likely be spent at home doing nothing. LOL
I totally agree with everyone else. Enjoy the time off! We all need to relax sometime. Whoever said to sleep late, stay up late and just have fun was right on the money!
Remember that new experiences and fun time together are important learning experiences. You are building stronger family bonds. You are experiencing more of your world and in so doing your children are naturally learning about the world around them. Enjoy your time together!
Personally, I don't get creative until i get totally bored. While I like the idea of 24/7/365 learning, public school taught me that some people (me) NEED extended periods of no books -- or rather, no assignments. Leisure reading only. Go outside, lie in the grass and watch the clouds go by. Or turn over and discover ants and other tiny critters going about their daily duties. Listen to the birds sing, and try to imitate one by whistling -- see if it will answer you. Make up your own games. Make a chain out of daisies or clovers. Tons of stuff I never would have done if I'd had school year round when I was that age.
I would plan on just relaxing and enjoying myself, but would take along a journal. Then whenever your kids happen to learn something you can write it down. I think you'll be amazed by all they learn without any lesson plans at all.
Hope you are able to have a great, stressfree vacation, since that is what its all about. We are taking an extended vacation this summer and are so excited for all the learning opportunities it'll offer--we're roadtripping across the US. The kids and us are SO excited about the places we'll see, the museums we'll visit, the surprises along the way. We're trying to come up with a list of books to listen to on the road--most likely Mark Twain or Civil War stories. I think at the younger ages, the impromtu things are what they most learn from! Just take advantage of the discovery. Since we will be gone so long, I do have some activites and worksheets planned, but nothing extensive. More of stuff to do while they're in the car. My kids have gotten far more from "vacations" then they ever could from books.
amen to that! relax,mom. they'll be grown before you know it and you'll wish you could get these days back! we have so little time with them as it is. enoy your vacation. oh, and we'll want to hear all about it when you get back!!
