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August: Homeschool Planning Time?!

The month of August is upon us and I’m simultaneously struck by an urge to preserve the summer – hang on with every fibre of my being – and plan. Yep, that’s right. As soon as the first day of the month appeared, I felt compelled. Compelled to count down. Compelled to face forward, compelled to plan.

 

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Since at least May, I have been reading blog headlines about homeschool planning.  And, I’ve been asking myself, “Who are these people?  Planning for next year already?!”  What about enjoying summer?!  What about  a break?  What about living this blissful season?  (Maybe you are one of these people?  If so, you have my kudos. Planning does not come naturally to me).

Yet, here I find myself.  Planning in August.   A full, beautiful month of summer left, and it might as well be over.  I’m itching to start.  Itching to start structuring our days, do something “scholarly,” focus inward and, well, begin again.

I m looking outside, and the hot summer sun is beckoning.  The creek by our house calls.  The kids and I are, regretfully, inside on such a gift of  a day.  And, as much as August feels to me like a filler month (the month before the big month of September, with its fresh starts, fresh notebooks and renewed vigour), I’m electing to embrace our August.

Swim in the creek.  Spend the days at the beach.  Build a bonfire.  Enjoy each other’s company and experience the treasured moments that will sustain us through the rainy season.  This season is magic, and I intend to embrace it.

So, if you catch me writing and thinking about planning, know that we might be doing  bit of that. But, we’ll be doing a lot more living.  And that’s just great with us.


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Does Allowance Discourage Teamwork?

 

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Sometimes I like to jump to the conclusion that, just because we are homeschooling, we differ from the norm in everything.  Take my latest quandry: allowance.  For whatever reason, my son has had a lot of people telling him that he could help me with this or that around the house, and get paid!  He mentioned this to me the other day.  Not in an entitled sort of way, but more as an observation.  Wondering what exactly do these well-meaning people mean?

So, it’s got me thinking.  Just what is our stance on allowance?  Is now the time to introduce it (my son is six).  Should we introduce it at all?  Which brings me back to how we are different (are we?).

One of the reasons we homeschool is that, ideally, it allows us to better function as a family – as a team.  We work together, respect each other, and have a chance to be intricately connected with one another’s lives.  This includes chores around the home.  I’ll be the first to admit, I do the bulk of the housework.  (I suspect a lot of homeschooling families don’t break the mould, and are with me here.  Mom homeschools the majority of the time, Dad works outside of the home.  In fact, we’re a bit different in that respect, but, nevertheless, I still spend the majority of my days at home, and Dad doesn’t. So… our housework structure ends up looking pretty predictable).  However, because the kids are also around all day, they see me in action.  And, naturally, they are involved.  Now, I say naturally, because that is how it works for us.  They see me vacuuming, they want to give it a try (sometimes).  My daughter’s favourite chore is cleaning the toilets.  My son could clean windows all day.  They both like to help me cook.

So, my thoughts around allowance go something like this.  If they are naturally integrated into my life so well that they enjoy what other people call “chores,” would allowance ruin all of that?  The things they now do out of interest, or a shared sense of responsibility, would they start to do out of obligation?  Or, worse, simple monetary gain.  Rather than coming from a place of giving, sharing, and purpose, would their help come from a more self-serving place.  Would this be a good thing?

I want to teach my kids responsibility.  I also want them to know about money.  How it is made.  How to save, and why.  And I want them to contribute around the house.  But, so far, this has all happened fairly organically with us.  I do most of the work.  But, they help.  And it’s rarely a struggle.  My son has regular jobs around the house: feed the rabbits, and the cat.  Let them out to hop.  Take out the compost, and help with the recycling.  But, he doesn’t get paid for those jobs.  And I’m not sure he should.

Does this make us unique as homeschoolers?  That we are so involved in each other’s everyday, that household chores are simply part of that.  We don’t separate them into another section of our lives.  We do them.  We don’t get paid to be a part of the family.  I think so.

But, looking ahead, and thinking about allowance, I wonder.  Where, exactly does it fit into this picture?

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I’d love to know what your family does about allowance, and how you integrate the things that need to be done around the house into your homeschooling lives.  What is your take on allowance?

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