Our Thursday Endevours

I have to say the Homeschooling my 5 1/2 year old is sometimes the hardest job I have ever had! But is also the most rewarding job that I have ever had. I don't really look at it as a "job" - it is just our way of life. AND that is the greatest thing about homeschooling. I can adjust our way of learning when I see that Ryan is burnt out. It is funny that this week we did most of what we usually do, except that is was done is an informal way. Ryan started asking me to do puppet shows and willing came to join me in modeling, block crayon drawing and water color painting. Where 2 weeks ago you would of thought that I was dragging him over hot coals. He did not want to sing, draw, paint or be helpful in anyway. What he needed was a break and a Mommy who need to remember that things have to be creative and fun for Ryan if we are to continue our "lessons"!!

So I did not light our candle at story time. I waited and this morning Ryan decided he wanted to camp. So he came down with his sleeping bag and we set up camp in the playroom. I brought the guitars so we could practice by the "campfire"(Ryan just started guitar lessons!!) Then when it was time to "sleep" I read a story to him - thus I was able to have storytime and a guitar lesson with out a second thought that this was work in any way. I know it is important that children are not played with all day - The adults need to do their adult work. In the Waldorf pedagogy Adults are encouraged to do their work while the children play near them. I do this a lot with Ryan but I find with him being the only one at home with me during the day - he needs a someone else in his fantasy play. He loves to play as some kind of worker and he usually needs a customer - that is where I come in sometimes. Even if I come to his restaurant - I will bring my knitting. Or today I "played" camp out with him and then after story quietly went on with chores about the house. I found if I do this for 5-10 minutes he is content and then goes on happily playing by himself.

Here is a picture of Ryan under the big green crocodile bag and our little camp fire nearby.


Thursday is our watercolor painting today. I told the painting story of blue having a birthday party and his friend red and yellow came and they danced and danced and as they danced new guests arrived. Ryan was happy to see brown on his paper. We talked about blue,red and yellow all dancing together created a new guest - brown! I got this story inspiration from the Painting with Children book by Brunhild Muller (Author)
Below is my painting. I love how the colors blended. We talked about how even though we both used the same red,blue and yellow our paintings are very different- but both beautiful. Ryan really liked the story. It helps that I have decided to go back to the basics of Waldorf Kindergarten right now.


On Monday I had hosted a spring puppet show at the house for our homeschool friends(pictures to come). So we spent most of the morning getting ready for that. That evening Ryan was feeling a bit rowdy so I had him follow me to the table with our block crayons. When we sat down he rolled his eyes and said he did not want to do "lessons". I told him we were just drawing - no lessons. I picked up the block crayons and started drawing while saying this verse:

In the heart of seed buried oh so deep
Lay a dear little plant fast asleep
"Wake"said the sunshine and creep to the light.
"Wake" said the voice of the raindrops bright.
And the little plant heard and rose to see
what a beautiful outside world could be.


Ryan joined and made this drawing below. I was amazed no complaining - no half attempts to draw - he really enjoyed it! YEAH.


Today at our homeschool co-op we modeled ducks. This is the duck family that Ryan and I worked on.
We also started making geo boards for string art projects. Ryan hammered all the nails in with out my getting them started! This week I have seen such change in him besides just a haircut!