With 24 days to go school is looming like shadow for the kids. It seems like they try not to think about it too much but each one has expressed sadness and or anxiety about summer coming to an end.
Me? Eh...mixed emotions. I get a small taste of what home schooling would be like during the summer. As much as I love adventuring with my kids, I feel like I have to "be on" all day long. It does makes me love and appreciate public school all the more.
I read this article about how being bored is really good for kids. Great for developing coping strategies and creativity. All those "boredom jars" and science experiences I pinned on pinterest somehow created this feeling in me, that if my kids are bored it's somehow my fault, and my responsibility to fix. I love the freedom reading this article gave me to limit technology at any time, without the weight of having to orchestrate something educational and fun for the kids. When the kids tell me they are bored I now say "ohhh gooooood! That is so good for you!". Parenting game changer. I am sure this was intuitive to some parents but I needed some PhD to give me permission.
So far, the fruits of our boredom have been fantastic!
Soren wrote 7 piano songs on post it notes (those symbols represent certain keys)
Byron and Miriam researched and designed their own future tiny houses.
Miriam also started learning French from the library and learned a few ballroom dances from You Tube.
We had the Cub Scout Rocket Pack meeting. This one is always a hit and came at the perfect time since we also launch rockets at our family reunion which happened to fall the Saturday following this meeting. Darin helped the boys make their rockets the night before and we spray painted them an hour or so before it was time to go.
Their rockets both flew the highest of the pack, but I think Byron's edged out Soren's because his got height and distance. In fact, every single launch of his landed on a roof (retrieved 2 x) and is now resting in a tree so tall high only fire truck could have gotten it out. Sadness mixed with pride. We are going to look for that rocket every Sunday.
The leaders were so kind to include Soren, and he even got a few awards including this joint award.
I love seeing that "Ray Brothers".
