Re: Importance of "outside" activities
Gary & Lisa Williams
Hi all~
I live in a fairly isolated community that has very little available
children's activites. I can drive to some museums or "for-the-day" jaunts
but nothing to do on a regular local basis, like horse-back lessons, karate
or dance or something artsy, etc. I have an 11 year old dd and 6 year old
ds. My daughter is very out-going and is starting to think government
school would be the place to get in these fun activities. I know this to
NOT be true! I, on the other hand, dream of moving to a community near a
BIG city that would provide unschool/homeschool activities and social
groups, etc. So I guess what I'm asking is, how involved are you and your
kids involved in weekly lessons of some sort or how involved are you in
homeschool groups that provide kid interactions, etc.? And do you feel
these lessons/activities are enjoyable and/or useful?
Thanks for your responses,
Lisa
I live in a fairly isolated community that has very little available
children's activites. I can drive to some museums or "for-the-day" jaunts
but nothing to do on a regular local basis, like horse-back lessons, karate
or dance or something artsy, etc. I have an 11 year old dd and 6 year old
ds. My daughter is very out-going and is starting to think government
school would be the place to get in these fun activities. I know this to
NOT be true! I, on the other hand, dream of moving to a community near a
BIG city that would provide unschool/homeschool activities and social
groups, etc. So I guess what I'm asking is, how involved are you and your
kids involved in weekly lessons of some sort or how involved are you in
homeschool groups that provide kid interactions, etc.? And do you feel
these lessons/activities are enjoyable and/or useful?
Thanks for your responses,
Lisa
[email protected]
In a message dated 8/31/2003 11:49:19 AM Central Standard Time,
glmnw@... writes:
group once a month and then have one activity with that group a week. The kids
are interested in dance, so we have that lesson once a week. We are fortunate
enough to live in the Chicago suburbs and have family that has given the kids
memberships to some of the museums, so we do an outing of that nature about
once every week or two. And we are even more fortunate to have a homeschooling
(but not unschooling, unfortunately) family just three doors down on our block,
so we play with them a lot.
But I know kids that are scheduled each and every day and love it. I know
some who are scheduled and hate it. I know some prefer no schedules. Tuesday
is our one busy scheduled day, the rest of the week we are free to do what
moves us.
Hope that helps!
Elizabeth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
glmnw@... writes:
> So I guess what I'm asking is, how involved are you and yourI think every family or child is different. We meet with our homeschool
> kids involved in weekly lessons of some sort or how involved are you in
> homeschool groups that provide kid interactions, etc.?
group once a month and then have one activity with that group a week. The kids
are interested in dance, so we have that lesson once a week. We are fortunate
enough to live in the Chicago suburbs and have family that has given the kids
memberships to some of the museums, so we do an outing of that nature about
once every week or two. And we are even more fortunate to have a homeschooling
(but not unschooling, unfortunately) family just three doors down on our block,
so we play with them a lot.
But I know kids that are scheduled each and every day and love it. I know
some who are scheduled and hate it. I know some prefer no schedules. Tuesday
is our one busy scheduled day, the rest of the week we are free to do what
moves us.
Hope that helps!
Elizabeth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Fetteroll
on 8/31/03 10:10 AM, Gary & Lisa Williams at glmnw@... wrote:
need. My daughter likes to stay home so dragging her to activities would be
cruel. But it would be cruel to treat a child who loved outside activities
like my daughter.
The question isn't what do kids need but what do *your* kids need.
Joyce
> So I guess what I'm asking is, how involved are you and yourI think the answer doesn't lie in what our kids do but in what your kids
> kids involved in weekly lessons of some sort or how involved are you in
> homeschool groups that provide kid interactions, etc.?
need. My daughter likes to stay home so dragging her to activities would be
cruel. But it would be cruel to treat a child who loved outside activities
like my daughter.
The question isn't what do kids need but what do *your* kids need.
Joyce
[email protected]
On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 09:10:30 -0500 Gary & Lisa Williams <glmnw@...>
writes:
found the most wonderful unschooling clay class with the greatest
teacher), and shows. After doing soccer for 4 years, two seasons each
year, she's not doing soccer this year, and it feels weird. Those all
involve kid-interaction, but Rain's main focus is the activity itself.
We generally hit a few activities with one of the local homeschool groups
every month - park day, astronomy night, farmer's market crafts day, or
something. For those things, Rain mainly plays with other kids - at
astronomy night last night, she took 2 30 second peeks through the
telescope, jumped on the tramp for an hour with kids, and then organized
the group into the cast of Peter Pan and got halfway through the second
act.
Then there's just going to someone's house to play, which happens a lot,
too...
It's all enjoyable, I think. I don't know if Rain always enjoys dance
classes, but she wants to take them to further her musical theater
ambitions, so she does. I think what's enjoyable is always useful,
because enjoyment is useful...
Rain is not as happy when we spend more than a day at home with just us,
or even with the boys next door. She thrives on lots of action and
interaction. We live about 40 minutes from the town where we do most of
this stuff, so it's a drive to do most anything. On the other hand,
that's just Rain. I know lots of kids who would be happy to stay here
more, to kick around the farm and play with the dogs and watch the hawks
and owls and all that... but not the kid I have.
Dar
writes:
>So I guess what I'm asking is, how involved are you and yourRain is involved in lots of stuff - dance classes, clay class (we've
> kids involved in weekly lessons of some sort or how involved are you
> in homeschool groups that provide kid interactions, etc.? And do you
> feel these lessons/activities are enjoyable and/or useful?
found the most wonderful unschooling clay class with the greatest
teacher), and shows. After doing soccer for 4 years, two seasons each
year, she's not doing soccer this year, and it feels weird. Those all
involve kid-interaction, but Rain's main focus is the activity itself.
We generally hit a few activities with one of the local homeschool groups
every month - park day, astronomy night, farmer's market crafts day, or
something. For those things, Rain mainly plays with other kids - at
astronomy night last night, she took 2 30 second peeks through the
telescope, jumped on the tramp for an hour with kids, and then organized
the group into the cast of Peter Pan and got halfway through the second
act.
Then there's just going to someone's house to play, which happens a lot,
too...
It's all enjoyable, I think. I don't know if Rain always enjoys dance
classes, but she wants to take them to further her musical theater
ambitions, so she does. I think what's enjoyable is always useful,
because enjoyment is useful...
Rain is not as happy when we spend more than a day at home with just us,
or even with the boys next door. She thrives on lots of action and
interaction. We live about 40 minutes from the town where we do most of
this stuff, so it's a drive to do most anything. On the other hand,
that's just Rain. I know lots of kids who would be happy to stay here
more, to kick around the farm and play with the dogs and watch the hawks
and owls and all that... but not the kid I have.
Dar
Alan & Brenda Leonard
8/31/03 20:45:
I can relate to the isolation part. I live on a small U.S. army base in
Germany. There's plenty happening around here, just not in English. My son
prefers to not try to function in German. That's fine, it's his choice.
But it does limit our options.
My son takes tap dance lessons from a British woman who comes out once a
month from the city to teach him (I'd drive there, but she doesn't have
space. So I pay for her to come here.) He plays soccer in the army's rec
program. He's involved at our church, but I drive 1/2 hr. each way for
that. And we do cub scouts locally.
However, he does get use out of the local public (military) school. I know
this isn't a popular suggestion with some homeschoolers, but it's realistic
when you're truly isolated. See if there's a policy already in place (or if
they'd create one for you) that would allow for your children to take a
class like art or music, get involved in extracurricular activities, clubs,
or athletics, or so on. If the public school turns you down, try a private
school. They might be more accomodating.
Last year, Tim went to a library "class" at the school and was in chess
club. This year, he's interested in taking art, library, and a once-a-week
literature class that's a new "special" they're offering. They also added a
computer club he thought about checking out. Things we're not taking but
that were open to us were aikido (did I spell that martial art right?),
chess, general music, guitar club, p.e., etc. I don't have a problem with
using the schools, we just do it our way. And this year, the school called
ME to see what Tim wanted to do. Maybe they're getting $$ for his
occasional presence. I don't care, the money won't hurt them any; I just
want to get what he wants and not have to commit to more than that.
As far as whether the lessons are useful or enjoyable depends on your
children! Can you make a once a month trek to the homeschooling group of
the nearest town? (Where are you?) Would it be possible to drive to
something a couple hours away occasionally? Have you called the community
rec dept. or parks dept. or whatever to see if they could offer more kid
stuff? You may have to be really proactive!
By the way, if your children can identify what it is they'd like to do, ask
around. I found the tap dance teacher through a friend of a friend who
heard I was looking for someone who spoke English. Even small towns have
talented people who do all sorts of stuff, and they might well be interested
in working with a homeschooler.
Good luck!
brenda
> Hi all~Lisa,
> I live in a fairly isolated community that has very little available
> children's activites. I can drive to some museums or "for-the-day" jaunts
> but nothing to do on a regular local basis, like horse-back lessons, karate
> or dance or something artsy, etc. I have an 11 year old dd and 6 year old
> ds. My daughter is very out-going and is starting to think government
> school would be the place to get in these fun activities. I know this to
> NOT be true! I, on the other hand, dream of moving to a community near a
> BIG city that would provide unschool/homeschool activities and social
> groups, etc. So I guess what I'm asking is, how involved are you and your
> kids involved in weekly lessons of some sort or how involved are you in
> homeschool groups that provide kid interactions, etc.? And do you feel
> these lessons/activities are enjoyable and/or useful?
I can relate to the isolation part. I live on a small U.S. army base in
Germany. There's plenty happening around here, just not in English. My son
prefers to not try to function in German. That's fine, it's his choice.
But it does limit our options.
My son takes tap dance lessons from a British woman who comes out once a
month from the city to teach him (I'd drive there, but she doesn't have
space. So I pay for her to come here.) He plays soccer in the army's rec
program. He's involved at our church, but I drive 1/2 hr. each way for
that. And we do cub scouts locally.
However, he does get use out of the local public (military) school. I know
this isn't a popular suggestion with some homeschoolers, but it's realistic
when you're truly isolated. See if there's a policy already in place (or if
they'd create one for you) that would allow for your children to take a
class like art or music, get involved in extracurricular activities, clubs,
or athletics, or so on. If the public school turns you down, try a private
school. They might be more accomodating.
Last year, Tim went to a library "class" at the school and was in chess
club. This year, he's interested in taking art, library, and a once-a-week
literature class that's a new "special" they're offering. They also added a
computer club he thought about checking out. Things we're not taking but
that were open to us were aikido (did I spell that martial art right?),
chess, general music, guitar club, p.e., etc. I don't have a problem with
using the schools, we just do it our way. And this year, the school called
ME to see what Tim wanted to do. Maybe they're getting $$ for his
occasional presence. I don't care, the money won't hurt them any; I just
want to get what he wants and not have to commit to more than that.
As far as whether the lessons are useful or enjoyable depends on your
children! Can you make a once a month trek to the homeschooling group of
the nearest town? (Where are you?) Would it be possible to drive to
something a couple hours away occasionally? Have you called the community
rec dept. or parks dept. or whatever to see if they could offer more kid
stuff? You may have to be really proactive!
By the way, if your children can identify what it is they'd like to do, ask
around. I found the tap dance teacher through a friend of a friend who
heard I was looking for someone who spoke English. Even small towns have
talented people who do all sorts of stuff, and they might well be interested
in working with a homeschooler.
Good luck!
brenda