Frosting

Every year we homeschool all year long. Winter and lots of rain bring days where we get "more done" in school. Summer is our rabbit trail time. During the summer we do math and language arts, but everything else is optional at my discretion. We will do more art and that sort of thing. Less structure for sure! Summer is clearly not now and I wish school could be like that all year, but that does not work for *us* to do on a regular basis.
 
Now this fall and winter have been so different than others!
Why?
Because we have a baby.
That is a new way to homeschool for our family and I have not found it to be "so difficult" as all I have heard. I love the article I read in a magazine recently and found it is also on lovetolearn.com, "The Baby IS The Lesson". It is so true. There is no better present to my children than another sibling. You can read the article here: http://www.lovetolearn.net/policies/baby.lasso
 
Babies mess up any routine you have! Gotta go more with the flow.
 
Routines are important, but so is not being a slave to the routine. The key is the balance!
Last year I really learned that one. It was good one to learn while I was pregnant and before the baby! (Thank you, Lord, for preparing me!)
 
I have also been happy to see my children cruising along with their studies. Not fast, just smooth. We certainly have character training and life skill training that gets bumpy sometimes, but it is working for us.
 
As the baby is crawling faster and then on to walking, I know what is in store for us as she is not my first baby. I still do not see it being this big issue as I have read and heard about. Marilyn Boyer, at the OCEANetwork conference last August, said to enjoy the season. "Enjoy the season you're in, they don't stay small" she said. She also gave hints on keeping the little ones occupied and even learning along with older siblings. Good stuff. If you did not hear her speak on this you can get the CD on OCEAN's website now. www.OCEANetwork.org
 
Having a baby around has been the frosting on our family. What a joy!