Thursday, January 8, 2009

~Our Natural Rhythm~

I am excited!

There is so much to do. So much to learn.


We had decided that this year we would take the typical 2 week Christmas break that the schools take. Allow extra time for crafts and general festiveness. The problem with that was that I ended up with this odd sense of floundering...like I somehow lost my purpose. Silly, I know. You'd think one would welcome a break from crazy busy land BUT I am realizing that something is shifting in me. I thrive on crazy busy land. I am inspired by everything that I have to get done in a day. I rarely ever feel idle. I nearly always feel productive. AND because I have chosen to live my life inspired, my days are filled with tasks that I enjoy. (well, except cleaning the bathroom.....and a little laundry elf would be really helpful)


There is a wonderful rythym to the way our year flows. In September, when the weather shifts and the children spend more time indoors, we begin doing morning lessons. Our lessons are based on what our children want to learn so we are all eager to journey through.


During the depths of winter, which are rather long and very cold here, we craft more, invent more, bake more. These things naturally fill the space that is created by the cold temperatures and need to be indoors.


When spring arrive we spill outdoors, spending hours walking, preparing the soil for planting, collecting...watching the earth wake up. By the time April draws to a close we are done our morning lessons for the year. We have completed that same amount of "learning weeks" as public schools (36 weeks), but having taken no holiday weeks we are officially "done" the 3rd week of April.


Summer is spent barefoot. Hours drift by in the garden. Habitats are built for little critters. Fairies can be seen climbing trees and bouncing happily on the trampoline. We hike and bike, swim and build sand sculptures, harvest and preserve. Curiosity is every child's innate gift and we are all educated by the fruits of the season and explorations that are brought to us on the warm breeze.


So I've realized something. I don't need to take a "break" from "schooling". We don't "school", we LIVE!! Oh, I really do feel so blessed by this affirmation. I guess one could say that by taking a "break" I really gave myself a gift. The gift of understanding and of acceptance that we flow in a way that is natural to us. That is right for us. A way that works so well for our family that we are filled by our very existence.






1 comment:

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I want to know what it feels like to feel that way! Beautiful post, Jenn.