Another Benefit of Relaxed Homeschooling

3 yr old little Sparkler informed me- "If I get my shoes on, then I won't have my boots on."

Very true. She is a bright one, I'm telling you.

Twinkler turns 5 next week, and as hard as I find that to believe, she keeps reminding me of how fast these little minds develop. She recalls most letter names and sounds and is starting to blend them, while Sparkler eagerly watches on.

I was a little worried that the age difference between Dazzle, who turned 7 in late November, and Twinkler was going to be a hurdle in our homeschooling. 27 months seemed a bit much to be able to work with them together, but it has turned out to be just right. He knew it would be. Dazzle is getting along just fine, she just moves at a different pace, her own pace. She is one of those kids that needs more repetition than the next kid, so repetition she gets. A lot. More than would be possible in most school settings. For her, perhaps more than any of our other children, learning at home in a relaxed environment has been more than a preference, it has been necessary, and such a blessing.

Our 3 younger girls sit together, and as I work with Twinkler on her ABC's and 123's, practicing the sounds and the mechanics of writing, Sparkler gets some early exposure, Dazzle gets some reinforcement, and I get a sense that everything is OK.

Wanna know what my favorite part of relaxed homeschooling is? The part where I get to be relaxed. I don't worry about what the curriculum schedule says. We are not necessarily behind, we are where we are, and we are almost always getting more out of where we are than if we had only spent 1 day, for 50 minutes, in that spot. Our children move on when they're ready, and when they do, they have a more solid foundation to build on than some minutes of fill-in-the-blank worksheets and a memorized date or 2. They have an understanding, and relaxing has been key to getting it.

And they have time to play! Like this afternoon, after the math and reading have been done, when some friends come up to visit and play in the snow- oh, yes, more snow!

Sparkler will be thrilled for another chance to wear her boots!

eta: She didn't even head out with the big kids today, but she loves her boots! They're girly-girl pink, what's not to love?