Week 2 complete

We have completed our second week of homeschooling and it was much better than the first. G's major disappointment was on Monday morning when we started our school work while the traditional kiddos had the day off due to the possible hurricane/tropical storm that was projected to hit out area. I must first explain before going any further that the storm went far west of the state and we really only had some rain off and on during the day. Nothing major and if anything it was a day off for play for traditional school kiddos. I explained to G that these children would indeed have to make their work up. There was no point in us taking a day off when we didn't have too. He is much happier with that decision now that Friday is here and he is out running errands with his dad!

That brings me to Labor Day and a non-school/work day for many. I am personally planning to do just a little school work -- mostly just reading. Overall we will take the day off but much to G's chagrin, we will be making up the work during the week and more than likely, next Friday will not be a free day!

I keep trying to get him to understand that we are doing our work so that we can take off and do other things during the year -- like field trips, go visit family, take beach days, Disney days, Busch Gardens days, play days, just-because days. I don't want us not to do school just because no one else is doing it. I would rather save up those times for those days we really don't want to do it. Plus, I am trying to get some type of routine started and with this being our 2nd week, I don't think the routine is established.

As he is 8 years old and assures me is a big boy now, I have shown him the books and talked excitedly about all we're planning to cover this year. For example, he loves elephants. Our study this year is about the different countries and cultures around the world. I purposely pulled out some info to show him that we would studying regarding elephants when we got to the Africa sections. This excited him. But then I flipped through all the stuff we needed to do before then. As we flipped through, I could see his eyes lighting up and he was pointing at different things. I think he finally understands. But, as we all know that in the moment we all understand but putting it into practice and feeling that excitement all the time is another story.

At least now, he has the proverbial 'carrot' he is chasing to get to the next section. I have talked up our starting North America next week and he is really looking forward to some of the activities it has planned for us. That is half the battle -- getting him to buy-in to what we're doing. In any event, he is learning. I am learning. And, it's all being done in our PJs!