Annual Homeschool Field Day ~A Home Education Post

Yesterday was our annual Homeschool Field Day.  As I reflect back, over the past 5 years we have had 40 different children make the trek out to our house to enjoy Field Day with us.  One year we even had D stay home from school so that she could participate as well!  

Field Day began for the same reason that our annual Valentine's Day Party began, (post about that is here:  http://carmelhillbillies.blogspot.com/2014/02/annual-valentines-day-parties-special.html ).  When Noelle & Micah left school to be homeschooled they wanted to keep celebrating the 'special days' that they had celebrated at school.  Sometimes Field Day is just for fun and sometimes we add an educational theme.

It will be difficult for me to not put 1,000 pictures in this post!!  Field Day is chaos but there are a lot of really fun moments for the kids.  And the grown-ups!  Yesterday we had two moms participate in the pudding feeding contest & some of the relays & the egg toss too!!  Also, in between the chaotic moments & the herding of the children moms get a chance to talk with old friends and make new friends and talk about their shared interest - homeschooling, as well as other things too.  

I have found that simple, old-fashioned games are easy to do with kids and are well-received.  I think of them as Sunday School Picnic-type games.  Plus, it is likely one of the only times each year that the kids play games like that.  I know that is true for my kids!  We don't pull out the Field Day pillowcases for sack races, even though we certainly could!

Egg Toss & Pie Eating Contest are favorites!  This year I couldn't find any blueberry pies, and they make for the best pictures!  Noelle was trying to find one good thing about the fact that our friends, (& the oldest students at Field Day), Max & Evan, couldn't come this year.  She came up with:  It will give someone else a chance to win the longest distance for the egg toss!  They get so, SO far apart and yet manage to keep catching the egg!

Maybe the 'most favorite' thing we do each year is have a water balloon fight!  Yesterday, during the fight, I whispered to a mom, "I think it's worth it!" and she said, "YES!"  

One of the challenges in planning Field Day is having a day that provides fun for preschoolers and also for 8th graders!  Relay races seem to fit into that criteria.  They are also 'old-fashioned', Sunday School picnic-type games.  The older ones will often help the younger ones with the races.  The older ones seem to like it, especially if they are competing against a sibling or a kid about their age.  The young ones just think it's fun!  

I always tell the kids that participation in any game is voluntary.  (This is especially helpful because I always try to have at least one or two food games or messy games!)  Homeschool Field Day is a no pressure zone!!  

Last year my desire to have the older kids want to come & not to feel like "little kids" played heavily into my planning.  I decided to have the older kids come to my house a little early & help me set up.  It was a Carnival-themed Field Day and the older kids ran 'booths' for me while the younger kids played the games.  This worked out really, really well.  (I have SO many good pictures from last year!)  The Carnival theme was well received & probably was a Field Day that will never be topped, in a way!  I feel that the Lord really guided me in my planning and  it worked out well for little ones and the older ones, which was my goal.

For 2012 we had a Summer Olympics theme.  That was fun too!  That year I had stations for kids to rotate to, with their assigned group.  Most of the students made flags and shared about a country.  Our food was made with different countries in mind.  It was fun!

Our animals are also a Field Day draw.  Many of our homeschooling friends have their own animals, but most don't have goats!  This year the very night before Field Day we had baby ducks hatch!  This is a first for us!  I didn't allow the children to catch & hold them, as mama duck is raising them and still sitting on a few eggs.  But we did get to peek & that was a treat.

As I mentioned, I like to throw in some food games, some gross games, unusual games, something to keep the kids saying, "Eww!  Remember when we did...."  Every so often I try one that I regret doing (!) but for the most part, they are just FUN!  Hopefully there aren't any children who think our house is Party Time 24/7, because it absolutely is not!!  Although I do love a good party!

(I did not get a picture of these two lovely moms shaving on my lawn yesterday!!)  

Families bring food to share, sometimes centered around a theme.  I always ask my kids after Field Day what they liked & if anything was hard & what could we do better about next time.  This year the time just flew by for me.  I'm not sure if it did for everyone else.  I wish I had done a better job of 'crowd control' because I wasted some time that way.  This year, afterwards, my kids mentioned to me that they would have loved more time 'hanging out' with friends.  Lunch time was just too short, they said!  I agree!

As I mentioned, sometimes we have an educational element.  We have shared book suggestions for summer reading.  We have shared art & crafts.  This year we had some kids share about 'A Good & Healthy Life."  I also took the opportunity to teach them a bit about goats & milking & even hoof trimming!

One of my very favorite things about homeschooling events/gatherings, is watching the different age groups interact, help each other, pitch in.  Homeschoolers aren't as likely to segregate by age as schooled kids are.  It's good for all of them.  It's good for the olders.  They get to set an example for the younger kids.  They contribute & I know my kids get a lot of joy from this.  It's good for the younger kids too!

Each & every Field Day has been well worth the effort.  

Oh, I make plenty of mistakes.  It is often in my intent to make each child feel welcome & wanted that my awkwardness takes over & I stick my foot in my mouth or say something that doesn't come across very well!  I've inadvertently forgotten to invite people that I intended to invite.  I've overlooked something or someone.  I've said things I shouldn't have.  

But overall, by far, actually, Field Day has been a very positive experience for my kids.  And for me too.  It's helped me see our home in a more positive light, when at times I struggle with that.  We really do have a beautiful setting.  Sometimes I am clouded by where and what I lack, personally.  

Wish I weighed less.

Wish I had a cleaner house!

But these moms who come - they've been great.  They pitch in & don't seem to mind my never-clean oven or the fact that their children will very, very likely touch something gross at my house!!  my husband pitches in too.  BIG time!  (Thanks, hubby!)  

I love children.  Seriously.  I love having them at my home.  I wouldn't want each encounter to be a Field Day, but we have made some good, good memories.  Friendships have been strengthened and forged.  I am certain that Field Days will go down in the memories of my children as some of their favorite childhood memories.  Time well spent.

Added Bonus:  After all this, my kids should definitely know how to throw a party!!!

In fact, I think the party D & Noelle threw last summer was at least partially inspired by Field Days!

Literature Fair ~A Home Education Post

This morning we attended a small homeschool literature fair at the Public Safety Building in Hampden, put on & hosted by two homeschooling moms.  I met them a few years ago through Tony's science classes.

To be honest, it was so nice to attend something where all I had to do was show up & enjoy!!

This was a small group - 9 students, ranging from about ages 8-12.  The moms prepared book-themed snacks, which were just so cute!

Each student had an opportunity to present his/her project.  Since they are few in number, I will share them here!

1.  Micah loves Swiss Family Robinson, so this was his favorite project.  The student explained all about the island and what they found & did there.

2.  This student presented The Penderwicks in such a way that I think I would enjoy these books a lot!

She also showed us some, (oh dear, what is it called?), shuttle tatting, I think!  

3.  3 Siblings did an amazing project.  They made a game with trivia questions based on 45 different books.  Very impressive!

4.  Next was Micah!  He chose his project based on a book about Genghis Khan from the Wicked History series.  He built a yurt/ger and set his Playmobil up.  He prepared a short oral report and had practiced it well.  I'm pleased with how he did!

5.  I'm very pleased with Noelle's choice of Charlie Bones.  She chose this because it 'opened the door' to fantasy literature for her, a genre she now adores!  She feels this book led her to many other good reads.  For a book report Noelle wrote an interview with a character, Olivia, (therefore she wore a purple cape & wig in order to dress up like Olivia.)  A friend read the questions and Noelle answered as Olivia, giving us some insight into the book & characters of Charlie Bones.  Noelle's hope is that some of the other kids would be inspired to read more fantasy too!

6.  Harry is in the Penobscot Dramatic Academy's production of Alice in Wonderland this weekend, so that is the book he chose.  He showed us a UMaine group singing 'Jabberwocky.'  

7.  Mayan chose Diary of a Wimpy Kid for her project.  It was cute to see her, before the 'fair' began, sitting & enjoying one of the books in that series!

We ate the cute & yummy food, had some time for fellowship & 'the boys' checked out the fire engine, conveniently located in the building!  Also, one of the dads is a paramedic with the Hamdpen Fire Department, so he was able to show us around.  I didn't know if Micah would be interested, at his age.  But he enjoyed it as well as the social time!

My cousin, Hannah, was with us.  She has met one of the students before & they write letters back and forth, so it was good for them to see each other again!  We really just had a lovely time & as I said, I enjoyed my lack of responsibility!  As always I appreciate the diversity that homeschooling families bring!  Although I think with any group of students you would see similiar traits as far as these types of projects are concerned.

The Blessing of Motherhood ~a parenting post

"I thought my mom's whole purpose was to be my mom.  That's how she made me feel."

-Natasha Gregson Wagner

"You give up your self, and finally you don't even mind.  I wouldn't have missed this for anything.  It humbled my ego and stretched my soul.  It gave me whatever crumbs of wisdom I possess today."  -Erica Jong

"There are so many disciplines in being a parent besides the obvious ones like getting up in the night & putting up with the noise during the day.  And almost the hardest of all is learning to be a well of affection and not a fountain, to show them we love them, not when we feel like it, but when they do."  -Nan Fairbrother

"For the mother is and must be, whether she knows it or not, the greatest, strongest, and most lasting teacher her children have."  -Hannah Whitall Smith

"The walks & talks we have with our two-year-olds in red boots have a great deal to do with the values they will cherish as adults." -Edith F. Hunter

(that one is one of my favorites!!!)

Mother's Day.

I do always think on this day about the women who, for a variety of reasons, have empty arms & aching hearts.  

However, I am a mother & the blessing of motherhood can absolutely be celebrated.

I am thankful for my mom.  She did not consider it a loss to 'just' be our mother.  The hard work, the weeks of camp paid for, the mornings of Keys for Kids or a Psalm were not wasted.  She continues to be a major support to me!  (Love you, Marmee!)

God has given me these two children.  Noelle Patricia & Micah Sean.  

It hasn't been exactly as I thought it would be, (but whatever IS?).  I never, ever, ever dreamed that I would be a single mom to them.  Just as strongly, I never, ever, ever dreamed that there would 'only' be two!  I knew since childhood that I wanted about seven children!  This still pains my heart but I do not have far to look to count my blessings!

So, with respect to those with empty arms, I have this earthly joy:

To my Noelle & to my Micah:

This journey of mothering you has been the joy of my life.  

I would not trade this journey for any other thing.  Every tear cried, every Cheerio dropped, every poopy diaper changed, every PT appointment, every discipline & punishment doled out, you are more than worth it.  

I praise our Lord for entrusting me to be your mother.  The edification process has been like no other & I can only imagine that we are just getting started!!  Kind of like Marilla Cuthbert, I feel like, "He knew I needed you!"  

As I have told you so many times, "You can never be so good that I will love you more & you can never be so 'bad' that I will love you less.  I just love you."  

I had a good example, but this is also all that I ever wanted.  To be your mom.  I basically marinated in that first pregnancy, looking forward to the day of birth.  Reading book upon book & storing up the knowledge I would need to raise a baby.  I was made to do this.  

In spite of the unexpected difficulties, it has been everything I could have hoped it to be.  And the journey isn't over yet!  I truly mean it when I say that I can imagine no other way I would rather have spent my time, my money, my life ~than with you & for you!

Late nights prepping for parties & picnics in the yard & literally hundreds of conversations in the van.  

I hold you with an open hand.  It is my hope and prayer that I can be an encouragement to provide growth.  May your talents and natural bents grow under a non-judgemental nourishment.  May you listen to advice & accept instruction so that you will be wise.  I discipline you because I love you.  May you grow in wisdom & in stature & in favor, with God and men.  May you know- always - that no matter what, I will always love you & always look for the best in you & will always, always, always be blessed, just because I am your mom.