We do not do school on a year-round schedule, however we still do school in the summer. "Summer school" - a more relaxed schedule of learning than during the "school year", but learning nevertheless. At one time, we took the summers OFF. I needed the break more than the kids did! But now that I only have 2 children still at home - and they are pretty self-sufficient - I can give them a list of things to work on and still have time to do my school planning and closet cleaning and house organizing. Otherwise there is a lot of laziness leading to boredom on their part, which isn't healthy for mind or spirit. So we will be continuing the math that we haven't finished from this year, as well as working on writing and reading. Jason will work on increasing his "tolerance" of reading, since he'll be moving up a level in TOG in the fall and will have to read a lot more. So I'm going to put together a basket of books for him to choose from and have him read a minimum of 30 minutes, twice a day. I'll set up some kind of incentive for every X number of books he reads out of that basket - maybe an ice cream or time playing his Wii, since I am banishing all electronic entertainment during the week - TV, video games, computer games, iPod, even Odyssey CDs. Amanda will be reading some economics and worldview books as well as "fun reading". She could read all day, but she prefers Francine Rivers and Nicholas Sparks to Francis Schaeffer and Richard Maybury. So maybe I'll need to come up with an incentive program for her too. Although they are self-sufficient, if I want them to fill their time productively I'll have to be involved and attentive... even though it is summer. No rest for the weary... I think the Bible says something about not growing weary in doing good...
Don't feel too bad for them. I'm sure we'll still be able to fit in some time at the swimming pool.
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