It Doesn't Feel Like School

 Last night, I really only wanted to curl up on the couch and finish reading an interesting book.  Homeschool was over for the day, and everyone could do as they pleased.



Spencer reads a book about beetles. 
Denver hangs on every word.

Although the two older boys found quiet activities to do on their own, Denver wanted me to play with him.  We drew pictures and created word searches on the white board.  We talked about homonyms-- when two words sound alike, but have different spellings and meanings; like write and right or blue and blew.  For reasons I do not understand, Denver is fascinated by homonyms.  He loves thinking about words, and I enjoy and encourage it. 

Denver can be very creative.  When I created a word search for him last night, he selected letters from all over the board to create new words.  I had never thought of that!  We played word search for quite a while.

Spencer and I then played a couple rounds of Denver Chess.  We lined up the pieces and pushed them toward one another until someone's king fell.  That's a fun game, and takes only seconds to play!  Spencer then enjoyed reading a new library book about beetles.  Denver hung on every word.

John Robert answers the question: How many squares are on a chessboard?



Later in the evening, John Robert remembered a challenge I once posed to him: How many squares are on a chessboard?  After counting the checkered squares, he realized that there are far more than the 1x1 squares.  There are 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, and more.  Even the board itself is a square.  Spencer got tracing paper and a calculator, and the two set out to determine how many squares are actually on a chessboard.  Although he didn't solve it that night, John Robert ran downstairs the next morning and announced that he had identified his error and solved the puzzle.  Indeed, he was correct.  I was amazed that he was so interested and capable.  Amazed, but happy and grateful to be homeschooling.  He never would have had the time or interest to solve that problem-- just for fun-- when he was in school. 



Denver has a new friend named Freaky Fred.



We also have a continuous stream of visitors to our home.  One is Freaky Fred, a new fellow created by Denver.  Other visitors last only minutes, like Clif the granola bar.

Yes, we are learning all the time, but it doesn't feel like school.  It feels like fun and curiosity and love and giggles. 

Right now, Spencer is fishing on the pond in his boat.  Denver is playing with a new toy he saved money to buy.  John Robert has his nose buried in a book. 

I am so grateful for this family.  This life.  I am so grateful to be a homeschooling parent, a Home's Cool Mama.



Clif.