What Did You DO Today?
As homeschoolers, we often hear that question. Actually, stay-at-home moms in general hear that question a great deal, in my experience, but that’s another post. (And no, we’re NOT EATING BON-BONS! Jeez!)
Sometimes, well-meaning family members or friends will ask this question of me, or even of my kids. I should say, most of the time they are well-meaning, but sometimes they are just looking for dirt with which to smear.
Sometimes, my husband will ask this question of me, and the kids, depending on what category of hurricane has apparently come through the house.
Most of the time, though, I ask this question of myself.
I’ve mentioned that we are eclectic unschoolers. We use some structured teaching methods, sure. And even some curricula. But the way we go about school is mostly child-led. That means some days, we do nothing at all that is obviously “schoolwork”. And other days, we spend hours on one particular subject, learning all we can about one topic. (Mummies getting their brains pulled out through the nose was a good solid four hours of fun.)
When we’ve had several “no schoolwork” days in a row, I start to get a little nervous. Maybe that’s my public-school education talking, but going a while without busywork makes me feel like I’m slacking in some way.
Which brings us to today.
Today brought us the most glorious weather this humid, hot state has seen in months. It was cold (for Florida), with a light, misty rain that would have been snow in another state. The rain felt like cold, tiny kisses. It was marvelous.
The kids reacted to this cool weather by immediately demanding to go outside and play. 
Max in jeans and a too-small firefighter jacket. Emma in old-fashioned pajamas with a sweater on top and no shoes. (Yes, that’s right. I let my kid out in the cold weather with no shoes. This is still Florida, people.)
Max in jeans and a too-small firefighter jacket. Emma in old-fashioned pajamas with a sweater on top and no shoes. (Yes, that’s right. I let my kid out in the cold weather with no shoes. This is still Florida, people.)They ran and laughed and had fun on the swings until we were cold enough to come inside. Then we opened the windows in the house and took turns putting our cold hands onto each other’s backs.
What else did we do? We talked about continents, and countries and states. We laughed about a country being called Greenland, when it is icy and snowy. (Marketing at work, kids!) We learned about Digraphs from a cool poster Max picked out at the teacher store.
We read books. A lot of books. Some awesome (How I Became a Pirate and Diary of a Worm), some that could be lost forever, in my opinion (Walter and whatever farting situation he’s gotten himself into this time).
We played games. We played. Period.
And when Max said
“Hey Mommy! It’s so cold! Let’s make soup and popcorn and cuddle on the couch with a blanket and watch a Christmas movie!”
I said,
“Sounds like a fantastic idea!”
And then I remembered, again, why I love homeschooling. And I kept remembering all day… even through the 142nd viewing of Home Alone.