Homeschooling

As a homeschooling mom, I'm always worried that I'm not giving my child enough.  I know this is a lie that I buy into, but none the less, it is a common question my husband hears.  "Am I doing enough?  Will our children be okay?"

One of the things I don't feel capable of teaching,  yet want my children to have is art.   I have no eye for art and creating things (beyond food) is not where my creativity is expressed.  I can mimic, but the creation of things is beyond me.  Several years ago Steven's art teacher (Jennifer Edwards at school, but Jennifer Lipsey is her published name) gave me a copy of her book called, I Love to Draw.  It took me awhile to realize its value.  But I soon found my kids would fight over this book, and loved books demonstrating how to draw.  So my first step was checking out books from the library, but the quality varied.  So finally I just went online and bought 4 more from his old art teacher (whom we love!).    This week they have been excited about the one she has on collaging.  They have loved it.  And it has given me the tools I need to pull out things for my children so that they can create!  I feel so proud of myself!  And them!

 They started by creating window art resembling stained glass.

 Then they moved to wax art creating patterns between wax paper.  It was so much fun!

I have actually decided to help them work on their own self-portrait.  This is something their art teacher did each year.  Thanks Mrs. Edwards!  We miss you!

Another thing I will never do is create Science experiments.  It is not that it is beyond my capabilites, it just never occurs to me!  Luckily I have a friend who finds this fun.  So she came over and we created a dozen experiments with kitchen ingredients.  We are focusing on molecules on our home school group this semester, so we have been talking about water and alcohol molecules at school.  We extended that to soap molecules and focused on water tension with our friend.  It was great!

 The boat zoomed across the pan as a result of the breaking of water tension because of the soap.

 We also looked at solids and liquids forming gas using baking soda and vinegar.  Here we created "dancing raisins."

 ....volcanos.....

It was great.  My children (mainly my oldest) decided we should start a Science Club!  I love it when I get creative and divert from my spread sheet!