Our Home: A Training Ground
As I cleaned my house this afternoon after spending over 4 hours at my kids swim meet, I was very grateful for my little helpers. As they went to work alongside me, I resisted the temptation to go behind them and get the spot on the table they missed or the Cheerio on the floor that got missed by the vacuum...why? Because my house is a training ground. We have guests coming over later and guess what? My house won't be spotless. (No worries. It never is!)
I don't want to go behind them and redo everything (well... I WANT to) because that would minimize their help and contribution. I want them to know they are valuable and when they have done their best-- it is appreciated...even when their best is not perfect. Because they are little, we are still training them.
Our home is where they practice. We rotate jobs so things do get thoroughly done at least once in awhile! I am ok with it not being perfect, most of the time...it has been a process for me. I keep reminding myself it really is ok. A little self talk goes a long way! ;)
Our home is not only a training ground for cleaning and domestic tasks, but also for manners, behavior, and yes...education.
Many home educators have a spot in their home where the "action" happens. It might be a homeschool room or a kitchen table or dining room. We are very blessed to have a school room. I redid it last year and so other than a ridiculous amount of books being added to the shelves not much changed since then. You can see details and how it is organized here.
But truthfully? Most of the magic doesn't happen within those four walls. I love the space, we even use it regularly...but a lot happens ...
Check out what's new in the other Homeschool Help Series bloggers homeschool rooms!
Lucinda @ Navigating By Joy- 5 Steps to an Organized Homeschool Space
I don't want to go behind them and redo everything (well... I WANT to) because that would minimize their help and contribution. I want them to know they are valuable and when they have done their best-- it is appreciated...even when their best is not perfect. Because they are little, we are still training them.
Our home is where they practice. We rotate jobs so things do get thoroughly done at least once in awhile! I am ok with it not being perfect, most of the time...it has been a process for me. I keep reminding myself it really is ok. A little self talk goes a long way! ;)
Our home is not only a training ground for cleaning and domestic tasks, but also for manners, behavior, and yes...education.
Many home educators have a spot in their home where the "action" happens. It might be a homeschool room or a kitchen table or dining room. We are very blessed to have a school room. I redid it last year and so other than a ridiculous amount of books being added to the shelves not much changed since then. You can see details and how it is organized here.
But truthfully? Most of the magic doesn't happen within those four walls. I love the space, we even use it regularly...but a lot happens ...
At the kitchen table...
In their bedrooms...
On comfy living room chairs...
On the climber in the play room...
On bean bags...
On the couch with friends...
Under the dining room table ... (sometimes a quiet place is hard to find!)
Or even at the pool...
Education happens where we are...wherever and whenever. Inside, outside, on top, down below...that's just geography. The heart of learning is when children are given room to learn-- to explore, to make mistakes, and to grow.
I must constantly remind myself that our home is to facilitate learning -- from laundry to multiplication -- to allow learning to permeate our lives. Learning doesn't only take place in the schoolroom-- it happens through life very day. This is a super hard lesson for this Type A mama!
Check out what's new in the other Homeschool Help Series bloggers homeschool rooms!
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses-- It's New in Our School
Bernadette @ Barefoot Hippie Girl-- A Room of Our Own
Julie @ Highhill Homeschool-- Our SchoolRoom
Savannah @ HammockTracks-- The Learning Nook
You have a great space, but you are so right that learning happens all over the place. Great point of view!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteThank you ffor sharing
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