Summer should be over, but on the west coast we still have endless days ahead of us while the teachers union and BC gov try and hash out an agreement.  We should be filling these last few days full of summer fun, but instead we are bouncing between anxiety over our kids education and OMG what am I going to do with them next week?

Or the week after? Or all of September!

As the summer progressed, my stages of “Strike anxiety” varied.  I was in denial for much of it, foolishly trying to convince myself that it will all work out.  Then bouts of depression hit, waves of “WHAT AM I GOING TO DO”, alongside anger towards the situation that I would be forced into this position and my kids would lack the education they deserved.

And now, acceptance.  It is happening (or not) and I need to make the best out of it.

And that means pretending that summer WILL be over September 2nd and that a new routine needs to be welcomed into our family.  No more late nights and lazy mornings. We need to work a little!

Step 1.
STRUCTURE

Hubby and I are working together to bring some structure and learning into the home.  While we aren’t able to offer the step-by-step learning the kids would get in school we are hoping that our ideas will generation a little bit of brain activity in our kids.  We are doing “Up at 8:00am rule” and  earlier bedtimes as well to help them transition to fall.   We are ditching “casual breakfasts” and putting everyone on a snack break and lunch break!

Heck, maybe we will even create a recess, let them eat outside and ride their bikes for a bit!  My kids are LOVING these cookies from Rich Product’s.  Just the perfect sweetness, and with icing that feels like it came from a cupcake!  And when school does start, these are easy to slip into lunch boxes or provide as party treats since they are nut-free!

It isn’t just structure for the kids that is important, it is getting Hubby & I on a schedule as well.  There are no empty days next week and every moment needs to be counted!  This means creating a bit of a family schedule, and then sticking to it! Balancing 5 peoples schedules is hard when school is IN, but even harder when it isn’t!

Step 2.
ACTIVE LEARNING

Neither hubby or I were very good at static learning, and prefer to learn as we do. So, part of our goal will be to find things that keep our kids active, but also use their brain.  Hubby has garden plans on the go and I expect a little bit if child labour to assist with the planning out of the garden spaces and preparation of the soil and compost.

With that we will build in the science of seeds and germination, as well as work with the kids on math concepts.  Our hope is to also bring in the harvest we DO have and get the kids cooking in the kitchen with us.

We have filled our library with books and will set aside reading time for each of them, even the little guy.  Art supplies will be provided and activities will be planned.

And we are charging up our Sphero and downloading new apps and activities for the kids as well.   We have a ball driving our Sphero around the property and playing with the chickens, but come September Sphero is morphing into a learning only app for us!  We are going to use whatever tools we have to sneak some education into the kids, and with the Sphero SPRK program we can go online and teach the kids the concepts of programming, robotics and math.

There are free downloadable SPRK lessons that the kids can work through to master these concepts. . . all while having fun with their Sphero! New apps are always being created for the Sphero, and even without the learning apps, maneuvering our Sphero through mazes and paths is technically challenges for our whole family.

Step 3.
COMMUNICATION

Our kids aren’t happy that school won’t be starting next week, and neither are we, but together we need to find a way to make it work.  We have sat down with our kids and asked them what THEY think we can all do to work together to add some learning to our days, as well as keep it fun and interesting (without mom & dad devoting full time hours to the experience)

The kids suggested we pull our their old work books and learning books. Together they are going to help each other through the pages, and creating scavenger hunts and other games to play with each other.

We have a list of activity suggestions that require a bit of set up from mom and dad, but that the kids can do on their own while we squeeze in a few hours of “work” .  Bike courses, art activities and science projects that we can prepare for, if we have them noted down.

And sometimes, getting dirty and helping Dad with the reno’s, or Mom with her work is a learning experience in itself! Giving an 8year old the chance to renovate a basement, or a 11 year old help building her OWN blog has value of it’s own!

Step 4.
ENJOYMENT

With all this planning for entertainment and education we want to remember to have a little fun together as well.  Having extra time with our kids IS actually a blessing and hubby and I want to balance our needs with theirs and squeeze in some moments that are just for fun!  Kids grow fast and life seems to be zooming by lately so I am trying my best to capture our moments!  Days on the boat, picnics outside and spontaneous moments that occur every day make memories for our years ahead.  There is nothing better than turning the pages of old photo albums and having these moments leap back to you.

Except in this digital age photos rarely make it off the screen and into the books.

But we can still capture them through a new device from Lyve Home.  Your Lyve Home will store and display ALL your digital images on the one device.  Photos will be sorted and organized and able to be shared across multiple platforms!  The new solution to those boxes of photos that you “meant” to organize, they Lyve will keep them safe, and allow your kids to dip their toe into their past and remember the experiences.

We can’t change the situation here in BC, but we can make the most of it for our kids. As my hubby reminded me, we are in the best situation to deal with the job action. Both of us have flexible jobs and work from home. We have 3 acres at our finger tips as well as a beautiful island that beckons us to explore.  We have livestock, projects and time available to spend learning with our children.  This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity that we have been forced into. . . and one I hope to not to miss.

If your kids are heading back to school next week, or sticking around the house, PTPA has a great list of products and tips to help you transition in their Back To School Guide!  Check it out and ease into the school year with their ideas!

And as an added bonus you can ENTER TO WIN your very own LyveHome, Sphero and one package of Rich Product’s Our Specialty Nut-Free Frosted Cookies.    Read contest rules for more information.
PTPA Back to School Contest!