Besides daily homeschool, what other school/co-op/classes do your children do, and how often each week? I live in a very small town! There isnt many programs that support homeschooling families. I hear about all the "other" things people are doing with their kids- will my kids be ruined if we are only homeschooling without all that other stuff? We have resources like the library, Muslims, gold mining activities, lakes and rivers for further exploring, and music classes in town for when they get older, but not really a "program" where other HS kids meet weekly. My kids are young but I'm curious how necessary the other group types learning environments are, especially for those who do not have access.
Monday - vision therapy and science co-op Tuesday - bowling league Wednesday - physical therapy and church Thursday - our heaviest school day unless we schedule a field trip Friday - finish anything that didn't get finished during the week, and prep for weekend events (my oldest son works for me selling Barefoot Books at community events ... mostly during Fall and late Spring)
Do not worry. They do not need all that. I promise. When I first began home educating 19 yrs ago I jumped into all the "socializing" activities. After just 3 yrs I was tired of going and all. We dropped out of all of it. We just did things as a family. My children are all grown but one now and they are all great. 10 are already married and have started families of their own.
Thank you Bren!!! We are very simple people around here. My boys have church, and my son will start rainbows soon. Lots of cousins around (their own age) and we make lots of family time and have lots of creative activities. It's extreemly encouraging to hear that they don't "need" the other stuff. Thank you.
Thanks for asking! I have an only, so I'm looking for ideas too. Soccer is big here, but my son doesn't want to play soccer. I'm thinking of signing him up for an elementary gymnastics class, which will most likely be held in the evenings to include ps kids. I'd have to drive to the next town to get a daytime homeschool gym class. We didn't do much as far as outside "activities" last year (1st grade), since we were decompressing from brick school K, so we just did homeschool, field trips, and park days. We need something more in the weekly routine for the coming year. I'll be watching this thread for ideas.
I'm planning on looking into swimming classes and/or martial arts, or some team sports like baseball or something. Thing is, these things are costly, espcially if I have three to enroll, not just one, but we'll see. As far as socialization, they will be going to school on Fridays, so they can make friends there, and if they hit it off, I will be having their friends and maybe their moms over once in a while, like a playdate or such. I just have to ask: you said you have resources such as Muslims?? Did I read that right? Thats gotta be a mistype??
My oldest daughter takes art classes at a local gallery. My son just started taking piano lessons, and my youngest daughter I put in classes with the community services/Parks & Rec. Usually its some sort of art or dance that lasts just 6 weeks. Her classes are just occasional & temporary. In my opinion it helps to have something once a week for them to do. It gives them something to look forward to and gives them experience with others. I definatley do not overbook them with several classes. If you can have a playdate one day a week, too, it really helps. At least that's how it is with my kids.
LOL! I actually meant tonsay Musium. We live in a old mining town, so there are a different types of mines, gold musiums, and such. I'm so glad you caught that!
We just do Cub Scouts. My older son (7yrs) did a semester of co-op a couple years ago and loved it. We might do it again in the future. My youngest son (3yrs) just did wee-ball. He liked playing in the dirt more than playing ball though. We've met some great people in Cub Scouts, so we get together sometimes with them for non-family social time. So far it's been enough.
My kids have church and a play day once a week with our homeschool group. I considered an art class offered for homeschoolers but at $160, I'm thinking NOT ! LOL. I think these extra-curricular things can be good, but I don't believe they are necessities like people make them out to be. Your kids will be fine. Especially if they are younger. Once my kids get into high school, I may reconsider, especially if my kids have jobs by then!
None so far. Lots of 'playdates', trips to the museum and library, etc. Lots of visits to family and friends. I'm looking for a local co-op, but it hasn't been easy so far, so I'm thinking I'll probably put dd in Brownies and ds in something else (boy scouts around here is a joke).
Church and football in the fall. Other then that that's all. We are not planners and doers....... My kids play around our neighborhood (first time ever we have lived in a neighborhood like this.) I'm thinking about skiing in winter and Lacrosse in the spring. We try and do "family" activities both fun and educational. We have started letter boxing and are really enjoying that. I'm not a believer that kids need everyday planned with activities and a huge amount of social time. I find that most kids we know are over scheduled.
We do church activities on Weds. and Sundays and roller skating on Tuesday nights. Our church youth group plans activities often and my kids go to those. They are going to a theme park in Oct. for a Christian music day. Today they are tubing on the New River in VA. They enjoy Youth a lot and my sister is our Youth minister so I don't worry about letting them go without us. Crystal and Emily both tried cheerleading and enjoyed it. Crystal did that for three years, but Emily didn't want to go back after her first year. Crystal played basketball for several years and loved it until she aged out. Emily is not into sports at all. All my kids swim at my sister's house across the street and hang out on the huge swing in our front yard. We are pretty much homebodies.
Guess we are the odd ones out...we are involved with lots of activities. I think we will end up cutting out activities as they get older and define what they really like to do, and when school schedules get heavier. Our fall activities (I have one ds,6, and dd, 4): Sunday- church, sunday school and usually swimming Monday-- Homeschool co-op, afternoon park day, ballet class for dd Tuesday-- Art class, gymnastics, and soccer (I coach their team) Wednesday-- Home day, usually go swimming in the afternoon and church in the evening Thursday-- soccer, community service project Friday-- Playdate with homeschool friends, library, Saturday-- soccer
We are going to do a co-op class and Guitar lessons for my dd on Thursdays. Other than that, it will just be church and family and friend activities! (And community baseball/softball in the spring)
Besides co-op we do soccer, swim lessons, gymnastics, library programs, playing with neighborhood kids, girl scouts and Church activities. Our town has a pretty good recreation department so we do alot of their sports and activities. We also have some freinds we go to museums and such with.
Some of our unusual "other" activities include gardening (March - October), preserving food (whenever it's ripe), and cooking together (all year). My kids have learned a TON and they love it! They've even made some money selling their pumpkins.
Hey everyone! My son has a pretty busy extracurricular life (before we started hsing). He has: Monday: Equestrian Vaulting 4-6/Boy Scouts 6:30-7:30 Tuesday: open/Once a month 4h Wednesday: Soccer Thursday: open/Once a month 4h robotics Friday: ALWAYS open Saturday:Soccer Games and Vaulting meets/4H competitions/Scouts camping I would like to throw music in there somewhere! I just don't know what or where LOL
