Culmination of Homeschool Year 2021-2022
Who-hoo, we finished up our year of homeschool this year and I’m so excited for the kids to have a break (and me too of, course)! Here is a review of our year, our summer plans, and what we have planed (or not) for school the upcoming year.
A Review of Our 2021-2022 Homeschool Year
We finished up our 4-1/2 year of homeschooling this past week of May (5/13/2022). It seems a little early considering the kids in the area still has 2 full weeks to go. They don’t get out until May 31. To us, this is actually a week later than normal. The past two years, we got out around May 5, and that felt pretty good to us. But you know, different state, different rules. We extended to ensure we met the 180 required school days for SC. If you are thinking well I am sure you met it if you counted xyz days when you were out and about. I did. Zoo days, Nature Center Days, Park exploring days, Soccer games and gymnastic practice (that’s PE & skill learning my friends), travel. . . . all of these are counted. And I am sure there were other “learning” days I didn’t count, but I am going by what I recorded/remembered to record, just to be on the safe side. I even them do an hour’s Math/Language or craft on some Saturdays when we didn’t have much going on.
This Year Was Harder With Homeschooling than Most
This year was one we really had to power and push through. We relocated to a new state last year and finding community was difficult. It’s not easy to homeschool without support. Hear me out moms, you need others to carry you on and others who you too can be a support and help to in your homeschool journey. Things can become lonely, especially in a new area. Our Kindergartner/First Grader had a very hard time when we first began schooling. There are times when we just felt like we couldn’t make it through the day with schooling. Not because he didn’t like school but because of the lack of community we experienced from our first year of moving. His excitement for homeschooling became a drag many, many days. Not every day was a drag, but I can tell you a lot of them were. And you know what, not only for him but for me too as a mom. So may days I just wanted to not do school. But we prayed our way through. And on those days that seem harder, we took our work outdoors. I eventually created a little weekly schedule to go someplace on Mondays. Just to get out of the house and that Monday blues. Sometimes, we’d take a books to a nearby park and do part school, then play. Other times, we’d just spontaneously spend the entire day out exploring. All of that was part of our homeschooling in effort to help our kids as we schooled this year.
As far as homeschool went, the kids did super well and learned new concepts as well as built upon old ones from the previous year. They were little troupers and although the days felt lonely, they carried on.
Our Kids End of Year Grades
K5 & 1st – Our son started Kindergarten at 6 years old. So this was his very first year of official school (I did pre-school stuff with him before but nothing recorded). We started this year with Kindergarten to get him caught up the first Semester, then moved on to First Grade material Semester 2.
3rd – Our second daughter finished up her 3rd grade year.
5th – Our first daughter finished up her 5th grade year of schooling.
This is our 4.5 years of homeschooling. We started with our first daughter in 1st grade (we did a nearby public school for K5). She is now in 5th but there was one year, grade 2, where we did half the year of Public school and then 1/2 homeschooling due to moving to PA in February.
I don’t know our plans for the upcoming school year as we have to reevaluate our current home, state, and schooling situation. But we are super happy to have a break for the summer.
Our End of Year Celebration
We always do a party or some form of celebration at the end of each homeschool year. This year, we did a week of outdoor activities and on Friday, some party food. We started with our week of activities the previous Friday (May 5th). It included:
- Friday – Indoor Trampoline Park (The kids love jumping).
- Monday – Nature Center (Large Swamp, Alligators, Butterfly House, Swamparium with fish, snakes, frogs, turtles, and other reptiles)
- Tuesday – Parks x2 (The first the kids seemed to be outgrowing so we drove a little ways to a more suitable one
- Wednesday – Aquatic Center (Swimming Pool)
- Thursday – Walmart to purchase food for the party
- Friday -Party
We decided to keep it simple with: Homemade Cupcakes, Popcorn, Watermelon (and we added cookies). Also, we the kids and I had planned to do games or a possible movie together while we ate but we opted out of these. One of kids had a fever & some stuffiness plus, I think we were all just tired from full week of being out and about, so just the food was enough. We were happy to sit around, relax and have the kids play their favorite video games on their electronics. Yay!:)
Are We Doing Any Further Summer Schooling?
I don’t do year round schooling, I am one that believe in looooong summer breaks! Although, we have done summer activity books such as these Brain Quests and Summer Reading logs for part of the summer. I have not prepped anything for this summer yet but I am working on at least a schedule to help pass some of the boredom.
Summer Brain Quest Books for Kids
A Note About Summer Boredom
We have never experienced summer boredom until we up-ed and moved from our home state a few years ago. And this year, the community aspect and hot sun, may even add to that. But I know as a mom, for the kids sake and mine, I’ll have to come up with something.
Why I Feel Blessed, Nonetheless
I feel blessed nonetheless because homeschooling is an opportunity not every parent gets to do. There are parents who would love to homeschool their kids but they have the responsibility of jobs that do not allow them to do so. Other parents, have mentioned to me that they just don’t have the patience. I get it guys, homeschooling is not for the faint of heart, to be honest:) Some days I myself want to quit. But there is something about teaching your children and watching their little faces light up. It was such a delight to watch my little son’s face when he finally learned to spell and write his name. I helped with that & I’m totally taking credit:))
If you are homeschoooling, how has your year been? Have you wrapped up the year yet? I’d love to know in the comments.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31;27).
