An Ode to Summer

Summer break is here, even though summer doesn't officially start for another three weeks. The books are closed, the cabinet that stores all the school stuff is waiting to be cleaned out, the mornings are less harried and I have time to actually enjoy my coffee at leisure. My desk is clear of tests and papers waiting to be graded, and I have some much needed organizing to do. As much as I love homeschooling, I start to get summer fever in late April or early May. Summer brings a change of pace to my life just when I need it. Some home educators choose to do school all year round. There are various reasons for doing this: the kids won't get behind or forget what they learned; in "real life" there is no summer break, so why should kids get one; some kids do better with structure year round. And to that, I say: to each his own. I've realized that, while my kids are the focus of my educational attempts, as they should be, I am part of the equation as well. I need a summer break, therefore, my kids get one, too! I have found that my kids don't forget too much, and what they do forget, can be quickly regained within the first week of school. And, while I do believe in a somewhat structured life for my family, I also firmly believe in extended breaks from structure, or introducing a new one. Sure, our summers here work around daily swimming lessons and trips to the pool to play, and the kids do read for pleasure during the summer; but there's not much else going on in my house during the break. Yet I find the unstructured time offers as much to learn as does the structured. In summer, kids can learn how to cut the grass, garden with their dad, pick up a new hobby, hold down a job, or amuse themselves. They can have picnic lunches in the backyard, play at the creek, learn how to read or swim, or laze in the shade of a tree. They can learn how to do flips on the trampoline, master the monkey bars, swing as high as they can on the swings, and explore what  free time really means and how to use it wisely. It's a time for reflection, backyard bonfires, hanging wash on the line, travelling to visit friends or go camping at the beach. It's good to be able to shift gears, to change the routine and adapt quickly. And, while it's true that most jobs don't come with a summer break, mine does (!), and I am going to preserve that tradition in my house. I hope my kids will look back on their childhood and remember their summer breaks and all the adventures, jobs, fun, and even the long summer days with nothing to do. And as my kids look back, and have kids of their own, I hope they will give their children the same gift: summer.

Ahhh, summer. Have a good one!