The Well-Educated Child

On a typical day, my 8 year old is pretty busy with his education. I mean, he is at it all day. Oh, he's not sitting quietly at a desk, with a little halo hanging over his head. He's not diligently doing school work, like they do in school. He's too busy for that because he is being educated.

If he has slept in a bit, he fixes himself breakfast. He makes really tasty scrambled eggs, but sometimes he just toasts a bagel or has cereal. Of course, he knows how to clean up after himself as well. Then he's off to getting dressed and making his bed and picking up his room a bit. He hops on his bike for a bit of exercise.

But then he has to dash off to shoot his BB gun at an impressive array of targets he has set up in the back yard. He tried to set up moving targets using twine and a pulley system, but realized the danger of having a sibling operating the targets while down range, and scrapped that.

Legos are next, and he spends quite a bit of time putting together machines or vehicles or buildings. Sometimes he uses a book with patterns in it, and when he doesn't have all the right parts, he just improvises.

Drawing is also a hobby of his, and he pours over books filled with pictures of a wide variety of things. Military and bird books are favorites right now, and he draws (not traces) what strikes his fancy.

He does have to do chores at some point, and that might include doing his own laundry, loading the dishwasher and starting it, or unloading it when it's done, cleaning his room or the playroom, and helping me grocery shop.

He might spend more time on his bike or shooting hoops, or maybe playing Monopoly or a game of pretend with his siblings.

He and I have conversations. We discuss theology and politics.

All summer long, we go to the pool as much as the weather allows, where he learns to swim and dive and makes friends and helps his older brother (who is a manager) with some of his duties.

He ends the day snuggled in bed with his Dad, who reads aloud to him and talks with him.

School is starting soon, and he knows he will need to do some math and spelling and geography, all of which will take about an hour out of his day. He knows he and his little sister will snuggle with me on the couch while I help them both with phonics, and then read aloud from science and history books. 

But he sure won't let that get in the way of his education. 

Enjoy these days, mom. They will be gone soon, and your 8 year old will be leaving home soon to forge his own way in life, and it would better serve him if he is well-educated.