Our back to school is a lot different than what public and private school students experience. We may lighten the load a tiny bit in the summer but we continue with learning, growing and developing year-round. We practice year-round home education. It helps us stay on the right track to keep a year round routine and to be able to take time off when necessary easier without feeling like we are missing out on education time. We do more hours than is required by our state law but we are having a blast doing it and sometimes, the children are having so much fun that they don’t even realize they are learning. Education sure isn’t boring around here nor is it forced.
Nobody ever learns anything from being forced to sit and write or sit and do something. When we make reading and writing exciting and desirable, the outcome is a child wanting to learn and the writing and reading happen naturally as part of the process.
Our family finds that we just keep the education going year round. We officially end our school year in June, finish up our school scrapbooks for the year and talk about what type of work we’ll be doing next. We officially begin our new school year in July with beginning new notebooks, a fun family field trip of some type and lots of summer learning activities. As public and private school starts, we add in attending a co-op once weekly.
There’s no back to school clothes to buy which is a huge benefit. Our children aren’t into brands and fashion. I have always said it doesn’t matter what you wear as long as it is clean and neat. Then, when I’m wanting them to “clean up” or “fix a collar”, I often get … “clothes don’t make the person mom!”. Well, true but always look presentable!
We still buy back to school supplies and enjoy the great sales at back to school time. My husband or I always select and purchase items to restock such as poster board, construction paper, printer cartridges, printer paper, glue, glue sticks, paints, markers, crayons, colored pencils and number 2 pencils. Our sons get to pick out their own folders and notebooks. It saves a lot of money for us to buy the basic supplies based on back to school savings sales and our sons are thrilled to select their own colorful or fun themed folders and notebooks. With tiny home living, we do only stock and buy the items we know we use on a regular basis. We can always splurge and buy supplies for a special project as they arise.
It’s a win win!