Our Homeschooling Days are Changing.

In June 2009, my last child, Daniel, joined our family and my days of homeschooling four little ones began.

For over a decade, my entire day has been spent with these four amazing people.

They have filled my days. my weeks. my months. my years. my decade. with delight.

We have done all sorts of things together…

We exercised our imaginations.
We crafted with all sorts of materials.
We took. so. many. field trips.
And played pretend more often than I enjoyed…HA!

We hit all of the playgrounds. And then we found some more.
We tried the local homeschool co-ops and we also started our own.
We joined the science centers.
And we appreciated art.

We cried through so many chapter books. (OK, so I cried. The kids watched.)
We visited the senior center every month for years.
We journeyed on a multitude of adventures.
And we hit all the homeschool days.

We sampled the coffee shops.
We played all the games.
We scheduled tours until the kids asked to be done with tours.
And we book clubbed like rock stars.

Together we sang classical conversations memory work songs,
discovered a love of nature from Charlotte Mason,
and realized that learning is happening all of the time from our unschooling moments.

We giggled over our modern version of the witches in Shakespeare and laughed at the most ridiculous, random things.

Learning together is what we did.
Day in. Day out.
The five of us.
For a decade.

But this particular part of our journey changes this week.
When Patricia heads off to a local school full time.
And my homeschool classroom of four babies comes to an end.

And at the moment, it feels rather sudden.

I had no idea that last September was going to be our final “First Day of School” at home together.

I didn’t even get a picture.

But at some point during that first month, we took a break together and I snapped a picture so this picture will have to do.

And this picture is perfect because it isn’t the “First Day of School” that I’ll miss the most. It’s the ordinary moments of pausing together during our day.

Just like this one captured at Dunkin Donuts.

Just like the millions we have enjoyed over the last decade.

And I know we will have more. And I know my kids will still be around. But it doesn’t change the fact that a shift in our foundation occurs this week.

And I am pretty much a wreck about it.

Which I didn’t see coming in all of the excitement and planning and fun.

But this weekend it hit me like a ton of bricks: My entire way of being is about to change. And I have no clue how it will look or how it will feel.

And so much is happening and it is coming so fast.

But I still have Monday and Tuesday.

The last two days before Patricia starts school full time. The last two days before our new chapter as a family begins.

And I plan to mark the occasion.

We will close one chapter and embrace the next one….

Together.

Related posts:

• The Changing Seasons of Parenting
• Why Homeschool? Our Family’s Story
• Our Homeschool Journey Continues with Big Changes

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Mary Wilson

Mary is a writer and mother to four kids ranging from elementary to high school.

She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.

She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

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