If you went from summers off to year-round schooling

[athena1277]

If you went from summers off to year-round schooling, what was the transition like for you and your kids? Did it bother either of you that you no longer had 2-3 months off at a time? Where I went to college there were no classes on Fridays and I loved having a 3-day weekend every week. I think that extra say now would help me find time for the cleaning and projects with the kids that get shoved aside most weeks. I don't think the change would bother ds much, but I know dd will fuss at the idea. I'm not even sure how to approach it with her.

[goldberry]

DD was public schooled through 4th grade. Every time I even bring up the possibility of year-round, she goes ballistic! I've even suggested still getting three months off, but splitting them up. There is no logic in her reaction. I think this year I've finally given up.

 

So...I guess I'm no help!

[Mom2OandE]

That's what I'm trying to do. This is our first year after 4 years of public. I'm leaning towards focusing only on things that need extra attention in the summer and maybe a fun class like science experiments, Harry potter book club - and let there friends participate- some ways to make it less painful and still get things done.

[duckens]

We are definitely doing more "year round" homeschooling next year than this year.

 

We will take a couple of months off for summer, but just because we are so busy with Nature Camp and Gymnastic Camp and Swim Lessons and such during June and July. In that sense, we ARE homeschooling year round, because there is still learning going on during those weeks.

 

BUT that month of August was just unbearable this summer. NEVER AGAIN!!! Dd6 and I don't do well at all without structure. Individually we don't do well, and together we don't do well. We need a plan!

 

We're starting August 1st, even if it's just math and phonics!

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If I had to entice my kids to school during those months, we would do one of the following:

A) Fun things: history projects, lego engineering, science projects, art would be nature books of what we observed and collected.

 

or

 

B ) I would tell the kids they needed to pick 3 projects to work on throughout the summer. For dd6, it could be:

1) Read all of the Meet Rebecca series of American Girls.

2) Build and program all of the Lego WeDo projects we have in the house.

3) Do a certain number of lessons for Snap Circuits.

4) Draw 20 projects in the art book.

5) Achieve a certain level of proficiency with math facts. (Older kids could learn to add or multiply fractions, or learn to move from fractions to decimals and percents, and back again).

6) Complete a certain number of science experiments.

 

You could have them pick one project for math, one for reading, and one for science. Or you could fly by the seat of your pants, and let them pick things like learning to sew, or make lots of cookies to go into the freezer for winter, or caring for a garden all summer.

 

I hope you find what works for you!

[2_girls_mommy]

I live in a year round school district and we roughly follow their schedule. They still get "summer break." It is just shorter than school districts on a traditional calendar. They school from Aug. 1 (or the closest Mon.) to the end of May or first week of June. So the kids get 8 weeks off for June and July. Then they get 2 wks off in Oct for fall break, 3.5 weeks off in Dec. for Christmas, and 2 wks. off for Spring Break.

 

Maybe something like that would work for you. We don't follow that to a T, we have a system that works for us, but we do start our official year when they do, and somewhat start summer when they do (we still do light school in June, and take all of July off.)

[asmall]

Both of my girls really wanted to take the summer off like the schools around here do, but I really wanted to school year round. They made such a fuss about it that at first I just gave in and we took the summer off. But more recently I decided that I am the parent and make the final decision, so I made it, and we school year round. Both of my girls had a fit, but now that we are starting our second year of homeschooling year round they actually like it. We school by terms that are nine weeks, so we have school for nine weeks and then take a week or two off. We also take off most holidays because their father has them off and we don't get much done with dad around. Because we school year round our schedule has been much more free. We can take a day or two off as needed and not worry about getting behind. I find that I am less stressed because I know we have a whole year to finish school instead of just nine months. Because of schooling year round we only do school in the mornings, before we were following more of what the schools were doing starting between 8 or 9 and finishing around 3 or 4. Now we start at 8 and work until lunch. Afternoons are free, for playing outside and whatever the girls want. This has been great, because even though we are schooling in the summer we can still make plans with their public school friends and go swimming or whatever in the afternoon with them. Now that we have made these changes my girls love schooling year round. They tell all their friends that they only do school until lunch, and all their friends wish they could homeschool.

AL

[Ghee]

We will be (trying to) do some school this summer. They will have books assigned (lighter, perhaps, than a normal school time), a science (mostly because we haven't done enough science this year :glare:), some state history (mostly in the form of field trips), and finishing spelling/vocab. We will do very light math.

[shawthorne44]

One idea might be to pick a subject that your kids love and you would do anyway, but do that exclusively during the summer. It won't seem like "school", but it will free you up to maybe to 4 day weeks during the "school year".

[Ohmomjacquie]

We switched this year and love it. We took june off and december . we have a one week break each month. I explained that to my daughter before hand. I also told her neighborhood kids ar oen't around in summer til at least noon anyway. She still gets to go to sleep overs vbs and other fun summer stuff.

 

I gave her the option for next year yo go back to old schedule since I'm due in july with number four. At first she wanted summer off but when she realized she wouldn't have her breaks like we do now she was all for the year round thing again!