Science, Traveling, Social Studies, Geography, History, Art, Communication

   Besides our social studies books, geography books, and field trips, we had a special project. For years, we supported nine children from overseas, through Compassion. Nine of my homeschooled children understood, and "had" their own child - each child from a different country. My children wrote these children, sent tiny things allowed in envelopes, like stickers, ribbons, etc.; and in return, they got pictures of the children, (which we hung on one of our bulletin boards all the time), letters from the children, and sometimes the children's parent. (I sent the money.) All the while, we were studying our huge globe, learning to find each of the nine countries, and learning a little and sometimes a lot about each country.) This made a lovely combination of tithe, and geography.

   We did a lot more than just drive, while we traveled. The children learned how to read maps, how to look for road signs, and learned much from historic monuments. I never let my children ask when we were going to get somewhere. I gave them maps, and taught them how to figure it out. This added to the history books, and our field trips to museums.

   We knew, from exploring and experience, the few places we could camp in total privacy. Perfect views, and no other people. Lovely places. It was at this particular place at the ocean, that my son Matthew, who was three at the time, wading in a tide pool, picked up a wing of a long-dead seagull, and held it high in delighted triumph. It was longer than he was tall. "Look, mom, what I found! A dead seagull!" I always thought that this little son of mine was going to be either a doctor or a scientist!

   We stopped and gathered leaves, stones, feathers, shells, seaweed, pine cones, and all kinds of things. When we got home, we made art projects out of them all. We used many different art materials; clay, different kinds of paint, crayons, color markers, paper chains, glue and glitter, gingerbread houses, even. Skyla was good at painting paint-by-number pictures, and made beautiful paintings.

   We used science textbooks, of course, but we also used many and varied science videos, went regularly to the Science Center downtown, and many other field trips. Groups of us went on nature walks around the neighborhood, making note of the changes that happened with the different seasons. We would come home and write paragraphs or sentences, (depending on the age and ability) about what we had seen.

Human Communication Skills

   For years, every Thursday, we hired a babysitter, and my younger children and I went to visit one of my best friends, a mother with many children, who homeschooled. In fact, she was the one who introduced me to this wonderful way of life. And after she and her husband met us, they began adopting. Well, our children had marvelous afternoons playing with their friends there, while my friend and I talked. She and I also took our children on field trips together - the weather station, (was that run by NASA?) the Hostess Bakery, the Aquarium, the Science Center, etc. She also played piano beautifully, and we all sang hymns together. She also organized beautiful art projects, which she invited my children to do with her children.

Our family went to other friends' houses as well, but none were as fun as this one.

   One thing that went on a great deal in our family, was talk. There was great friendship between my children. I encouraged them the best I knew, to talk to each other about problems, rather than getting mad. There was no hitting allowed, between them. I tried hard to be a buffer - a helper - a peace maker, if at all possible. I have great hopes that my adult children have good communication skills out there in the world. If they are friendly, and have friends, they will be happier. And if they are happy, they will make others happy. And if they make others happy, that will please God.

   I could not distinguish, many times, the difference between homeschooling and mothering. The two intertwine day and night, all seasons of the year. A mother is always teaching, and where does the teacher leave off, when she is the mother? It became clear to me, that learning never stops for anyone. Learning is a growing and maturing process that carries us along all of our lives. In that train of thought, since I continually teach my adult disabled children independence skills, and have never stopped teaching, I could say, in a way, that I have been homeschooling for twenty years this past September, 2004. My children are the light of my life, and I am so grateful to God.

(c) 2004 Rosemary J. Gwaltney