Homeschooling Through the Alphabet: O is for Options

One of the things I love most about homeschooling is all the options we have open and available to us.

We are not constrained by public school schedules, standards, and grade dictated subject matter so we are free to choose:

• what we want to learn about
• how we'd like to learn about it
• when we want to learn about it
• what materials we'll use
• where we'd like to go 

On any given day we can wake up and choose to bypass traditional schoolwork for an exciting field trip, a fun day off, or a day full of hands on projects.  Like this Monday when the sun was shining and we decided it looked like the perfect day to head to the beach!

We have the option of teaching whatever subject our children are interested in-- at any age.  So when my 4th grader wanted to immerse himself in the periodic table of elements last year I didn't have to tell him to wait until he was in high school.  We found books and games and materials on the elements and just dove right in until he decided he'd had enough and then we moved onto the next subject.

We have to option to switch workbooks in the middle of a school year if we no longer like what we're using.  Tuesday we switched Evan's cursive book for another one that encouraged a lot more tracing, since he's really struggling with writing in cursive.

We have the option of adding in new subjects as interests arise; these past two months we've added a baking course to our week at the insistence of my middle son.

Aside from lessons we also have the option to go on vacation whenever we'd like!  We are not slaves to anyone else's schedule but our own.  We get to visit parks, museums, and places like Disney World when attendance is at an all time low; often at discounted prices too!

The day we visited IT at Jordan's Furniture there were about 5 other people in the building with us! 

We have the option of meeting up with family or friends any day and time we want to and take frequent advantage of this.  At least once a week we meet up with family and friends for a fun day of socializing.

Playing capture the flag 

We have the option of schooling year round, taking breaks and time off as we see fit.  In our school-- birthday's are holidays and no one has to do any work when one of us is celebrating a birthday!

I love that we have so many options available to us and we are free to learn in a way that suits our family so well.

Homeschooling Through the Alphabet:

A is for Awe
B is for Boisterous
C is for Creativity
D is for Determination
E is for Expectations
F is for Fun
G is for Games
H is for Heart
I is for Independence
J is for Journey
K is for Kitchen
L is for Longevity
M is for Moments
N is for Nature