Taking the summer off ?????

[crickbrie]

I thought I'd let my daughter have the summer off but lately I've been experiencing some serious anxiety. There isn't much to do outside in Arizona during the summer and I think I'm becoming stir crazy. Has anyone else experience this while trying to take time off????? I sure do hope so, because I feel like I'm loosing my mind . So, I decided this morning to continue with the homeschooling. Keep your fingers crossed that this will be the solution and that I'm not actually going crazy.

[Yca]

no stresses, crick - we never take summer off. we're in florida, and its super hot here. in the summers, not only is it hot all day, but there are almost daily thunderstorms that keep us inside in the afternoons. instead of taking the entire summer off, we take the month of december off to play at christmas, an extra long spring break (when the weather is gorgeous and you can't keep us inside), and then a few days off here and there ... well, just because. instead of taking a day off for a birthday, we'll take 3. need a mental health day? no worries. in the end, we still school more days then required by most systems or umbrella schools.

if you're going insane, i assure you, its for totally different reasons

[hearthstone_academy]

I take the summer off. You don't have to if you don't want to, though.

I NEED to.

I'm hard at work on my 5-year-old's "official" kindergarten curriculum. He has special needs, and I'm actually enjoying planning all the cool things I'll teach him next year.

I am always sooo ready to get a break from school when summer rolls around . . . and then we are all soooo ready to get back on a regular schedule as we approach September!

The great thing about homeschooling is that YOU can decide what works for YOUR family!

[jcbsews]

My girls public schooled long enough that they would REVOLT, I think, if I tried to implement summer lessons. Any ideas how to integrate summer lessons without the children wanting to strangle you? I honestly think that if my youngest started third grade NOW, instead of in late August, we'd be able to take a much more leisurely approach... Can't say it would help to start early for the 8th grader, though, because we have marching band camps and other stuff to deal with over the summer and schooling might be too much to expect...

JC

[Yca]

maybe do summer "projects" instead of "schooling"? like, always do summer reading, but maybe launch some special interest studies that the kids would enjoy ... like a space study or dinosaurs or whatever they're "in" to.

or ... start with a slower schedule, and explain to them in advance that this is going to be building up to next year. like, start with one day a week, then two, then three as you get closer and closer to september.

i think the hardest thing about homeschooling is taking your children's opinions into consideration while still being the parent. you say they would revolt, but the fact is, they are still the children and you are still teh parent. it is still their job to obey you, no matter what. but of course, you also don't want to be super millitant insano mom and actually show them compassion too. it is certainly a struggle, and even those of us who have done it for awhile still have the battles from time to time ... but i'm sure you'll strike the balance needed for your family

[crickbrie]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I'm struggling more with her learning delays than she is and I tend to let her call too many shots. It's time for Mom to make a stand for her own good