I Don't Home School My Kids...

but I am the number one educator of them.

I'm not one of those parents who sends my kids to school assuming

their teachers will teach them all they need to know.

And that goes for Math, English, Science and Social Studies too.

 

Teachers have their hands tied by a million rules and laws and bosses.

They are severely outnumbered.

Overworked and underpaid.

They are amazing, teachers, truly some of the most selfless people ever;

they are romantics and idealists.

The perfect people you want helping to teach your child.

But leave them as that - HELPERS in educating.

 

So I'll get off my soap box and get to the point.

I love learning.  I feel responsible for teaching my kids.

I like to give them experiences, broaden their exposure, and explore what they love.

I like to travel with them, tour around.

 

So once again instead of PSSA's,

we continued to learn...

about how guitars are made,

mining, the freeze/thaw patterns in areas near glaciers,

geography, and land features.

We went to the Poconos to visit friends too.

We live life to learn!

BUT NO HOMESCHOOLING FOR ME!

 

 

It's Become Our Thing

In high school, I hated to run long distances.  I was an excellent sprinter, and a lazy, unmotivated runner.  Had you told me that in my adult life I would spend huge amounts of time running, I legitimately would have not believed you.

But four kids and a crazy life later, there aren't many physical activities to do that are great workouts that you can squeeze into a 10 minute or 90 minute time frame, having no equipment, no other team-mates or gym buddies, at home or while vacationing quite like running.

It's become my thing.  So imagine my surprise when it became Boo's thing too.  Probably because she saw me doing and probably because every child wants to please their parents and this is a way she thought she could do it.

But now three years in, she's a total convert too.  It's in her blood.  She runs before school and every race I enter, she wants to be right there with me.  She's getting faster than me each year by leaps and bounds.  I can't wait to watch her lifelong love affair with this sport.

It really has become our thing.  And nothing is better than all that time to just talk while running on back country roads with no one but my favorite daughter by my side.

Birthday Wrap Up and Review

So much love.  The kids are responsible for their own gifts for one another.

Sometimes they get me to take them to the store.

Sometimes they give cash,

sometimes homemade gifts.

But almost always they do good work.

All the love, you can see it.

Not only in the gifts, but the thought behind it.

Her party with friends was fun. 

They decorated cupcakes.

Her friend got her a cicada pin.

It's her nickname.

Her joy is my joy.

May she always be happy, this year and 100 more to come!