Back to Basics

If you are familiar with TJed you know of the "7 Principles." We try hard in our home to stay focused on these but often we get distracted. We spent 2 weeks this month in Utah visiting family, and I took the opportunity to attend this years Annual TJed Seminar.  I loved it!!! It was so refreshing to listen again to the basics and become refocused. For me it's like watching conference. (Is that Blasphemy?) There is not a lot of new information, but rather help in refocusing on the basics.

We came home from our vacation and despite visiting my sister who is a homeschool mom, and attending a homeschool conference, we were completely out of focus. We had let it all go for 14 days. There was no schedule, few chores, sleep overs with cousins, late night movies, computer games, and no bedtime. Then when we returned home, my children had strep, so Hulu was brought out and 2 days were spent in front of the TV and the computer. We had a wonderful break but it is now time to get back to life, the TJed way.

Classics not Textbooks....

For me reading is the most important way for my children to spend their time. They will learn more spending their time with great books, ideas and authors then they could reviewing any text book. But classic are not just books. It is art, board games, museums, family outings, historical sites, and any thing worth visiting again and again.

But for now it is reading. As we get back into our routine, school consists of personal chores, family chores, and reading. Then it's free time for playing outside, board games with siblings, art projects, baking, watching TED, playing Brainpop, and many other options. I try and stay available most of the time but am also working on my own free time projects like laundry, shopping, vinyl projects for my business,  organizing, reading or listening to seminars.

"Evening are for inspiration" and we read again. For our family this is our devotional time. Hubby and I take turns reading a book of our choice. Right now he is reading The Hobbit. Then we read from the scriptures, everyone taking their turn, and we have family prayer. Then it's personal reading time. Kids retire to their rooms and read some more. Depending on what time we get to this point it's 15 min to and hour. Usually 30 minutes.

Before this month, this is when I would have removed myself to the theater to watch tv. But we no longer have cable. (that is a story for another time) Instead I either open my computer to read some of my favorite bloggers, or I read while I listen to Hubby practise the guitar or DJ in his office.

I am enjoying our homeschool life. It is not what I had pictured for us, but it is  better than anything I had planned.