Parents are the child’s first and best teacher. Home schooling is something that must take place whether you have opted to go the traditional private or public school route, or have decided to home school your children completely. Most traditional school years are 180 days. You must therefore ask yourself -  What is your mission for your children’s learning the remaining 185 days of the year?

As a teacher who has taught in all forums, I believe it is a parent’s responsibility to establish solid foundations, provide pillars of support for those who are teaching our children when we are not with them, and take the bull by the horns by taking care of business in the event that optimum learning is not occurring during the school day.

Summer is right around the corner. In our little corner of the world we have exactly 18 days before the dog days of summer are on our door step and life asks us the inevitable question: What do we do now that they are home all day?

Home school = Home learning.

Learning must not stop simply because summer is in the sky. Children are ravenous for knowledge, routine, and enrichment. Not to mention maintaining basic literacy and math skills. Designing a learning schedule that affords children with needed routine, high expectations and a well established work ethic is a critical life skill that cannot be started to early. For our wee ones their play is their work, but our play can have purpose as well. Primary and intermediate grades might require a bit more creativity, but we all should all know by now – if you don’t use it you will surely lose it.

You do not need a teaching credential to enrich your child’s life with all the basic content that typically occurs during a given school day. Some of us are more adaptable and naturally patient, some of us aren’t. However, it is our responsibility as parents to take the baton from this year’s teacher and continue running the relay through summer, lighting the torch for a brighter tomorrow.

What are you summer learning plans for the family? Sign up for our writer’s workshop and let us help.

Cindy

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