Back-To-School

Last weekend, I put together some supplies and a few friends and I got together to cut, fold and tape. We explored a few projects in my Lap Book Handbook. It was a fun project to prepare. I thought it would help stem some of the Back-to-school shopping pressure. You know, the I've got to be ready! panic that the advertisements tell you you're feeling. Not so. I'm very easily pulled in.

Of course, our Saturday afternoon get-together was great. Good conversation, great company, lots of paper and tape.

But it got me to thinking about the whole Back-to-school shopping situation. If I'm not careful, I fall into the whole If I don't go shopping I won't be ready! trap. As homeschoolers, many of us don't do the back-to-school thing. Or at least, we say we don't. Some of us stay out of the stores. Some celebrate with a Not-Going-Back-To-School Picnic. Some of us mark the return to a school-at-home schedule. Some celebrate the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall.

Whatever it is each of us do, I think we would all agree that this is a time of change. Change I can deal with. I do find it annoying that everything is Back-To-School. But I can understand that it's easier to market to the masses, so I'll let it go. I can buck the system, but I'm not up for fighting the masses.

So, this is me, embracing the seasonal change. As I'm sure you've guessed from previous posts, I'm making a valiant effort to prepare for our school year. Part of me expects it to crash and burn, after all, we're not the most schoolish people I know. Another part of me is excited. The kids are reminding me of the work they're planning on doing. They're helping with the planning. So I'm going to assume an 'if I build it, they will come' attitude. To date, I've built Language Arts, 2nd Language, History/Geography, and Canada Studies. I'm halfway through a Reminder Read Aloud List (if I don't write down the books I think the kids will enjoy, I forget what I'm looking for at the library and they choose Pokemon and Babysitter Club books - which I refuse to read as read alouds). The last thing I need to build is a list of science resources to go with the custom-built science outline we've made.

Along with our new school year comes outside activities for the kids. And the updating of the seasonal wardrobes. But, I'll save those adventures for another blog.

Whatever the change we're preparing for at this time of year, I think it's important to keep perspective. Our perspective is to enjoy the time we have with our kids. To encourage them to be confident, independent little beings as they grow up, to enjoy exploring new things and to help them learn to work for what is important to them. If I can keep that in mind, then Back-To-School pencils and binders are inconsequential.