Raising Well Rounded Kids

When I was growing up (admittedly a long time ago), kids had so much free time. Besides going to school, my parents had me enrolled in language lessons and swimming lessons. That was it! I realize that in comparison to today's kids, I was seriously deprived. Poor me! I remember spending most of my afternoons and evenings playing outside with friends, riding bikes on the street, swimming, running around...generally just being a KID. I miss those days!

When I had my kids I vowed to give them as much freedom as I had growing up. I promised myself I wouldn't be one of those parents that enrolls their kids in lots of activities under the pretense that it's good for them. When in reality, it's more for the parents. It's a way to put the responsibility of raising your children on someone else's shoulders. Yes, some activities are good for kids. I just don't want my kids to join the rat race at such a young age. I've noticed it is more about status "Little Johnny takes horse back riding lessons!" than it is about providing learning opportunities for the kids.

As a parent, how can I give my children plenty of opportunities to experience life and to learn interesting things without pushing them to have a full schedule leaving them no time to be free, to just be kids?  I realized it's all about finding balance. Give your kids opportunities to try lots of things without too much pressure and they will naturally gravitate toward activities they enjoy. I let my children do just that and I follow their lead.

I am raising renaissance children. I have exposed them to sports, music, language, the arts, and many other pastimes/activities without forcing them to do any of them. My husband and I encourage our kids to try new things all of the time. But the one thing we don't do is put importance on how well they perform. I am not trying to raise an Olympic swimmer or the next American Idol. I really don't care about that. What matters is that they are becoming life long learners, explorers, adventurers. They are learning to take chances and delve into areas that might be out of their comfort zone. They  might unintentionally find something they love.

My children  have taken lessons in almost everything imaginable: piano, tennis, field hockey, ice skating, swimming, diving, gymnastics, ballet, tap, hip hop, guitar, cooking and yes, even horse back riding. 1D discovered swimming and has since stuck with it. We encouraged her. Buttercup loves gymnastics, but she is still young and will try other things before settling down on one.

Summer is the perfect time to get kids out there exploring everything life and our communities have to offer. To that end, here are some ideas to help you raise a renaissance kid. Just make sure to give them plenty of free time too, so they can catch fireflies, spend hours star gazing or picking shells on the beach. Find your own balance!

Cooking - Many towns offer cooking classes for kids as young as 5 years old.

Photography - What kid doesn't like to take pictures and what a great memory of their summer a photo collage would make!

Science/ Nature - Some parks offer classes on bird watching or learning about bugs. Check  with the Audubon Society.

Museums - Museums offer short classes or craft days for kids of all ages.

Language -  Summer is a perfect time to start learning a new language or to bone up on a second language your kids are already learning.  If you're traveling, give your kids plenty of opportunities to practice the new language.

Art - Sculpture, painting, pottery and many other art forms allow children to explore their creative side.

Dance - Dance camps abound in the summer, why not try one.

Theater - Local theaters offer short courses throughout the summer and often hold auditions that kids can try out for.

Technology - Computer programming, video editing and web design are some great options to explore.

Sports - There is not shortage of sports related activities all summer long. Encourage your kids to try something different, like table tennis, golf or rock climbing.

Music - If they haven't picked up an instrument yet, short summer courses are a perfect opportunity to try an instrument without all of the financial investment.

Volunteerism - Every community has opportunities for volunteering. Encourage your kids to share their time with those less fortunate. It is a valuable lesson that will last a lifetime.

How are you raising renaissance kids? Share your stories here.

Happy Homeschooling Adventures!

Body Paint Art!!

Every summer we try to do something innovative and fun with our art projects. Last year, on a hot summer day, I taped large pieces of paper to the side of the house and let the kids go crazy painting.  They splashed paint everywhere. It was so much fun! I was power washing the siding for a while afterwards.

This year, I had a different idea. I don't know how I thought of it, but it just seemed like something fun to do. 

Since the girls liked splashing paint last year and it was 90 degrees outside, I told the girls we were going to do Body Art. They looked at me as if I were nuts. Once I explained my idea, they were totally on board and loved it! Yes, I let the kids paint themselves! 

I know...I know, many of you will think I'm out of my mind (just think of the mess!). I thought that too! But then I thought: what could be more fun than using your creativity to paint your own body? We're always teaching our kids self control and moderation, and to follow rules. How often do we let them just be kids and completely carefee? So I just let them go for it. 

They put on bathing suits, I set up paint in a tray in our backyard, and let them at it. There were only two rules: don't paint mom and don't paint the dogs.

Guess what? By the end of this activity mom and the dogs were painted. Paint on mom was intentional, on the dogs it was accidental and only a couple of drips. 

They started out cautiously. I was surprised. A paint stroke here, another there. All very neat and orderly. I think they weren't sure if this was really ok. As they got into it, they started to mix colors, make designs and really let go of their hesitation. They painted with abandon!

This is the result and I couldn't be happier. When they finished their body art, I hosed down both girls. It was a refreshing finish to our activity in such a hot, hot day.

Happy Homeschooling Adventures!

Summer Activity Ideas

Summer is around the corner and we are looking forward to 2 months with our kids at home. But, the truth is, after a couple of weeks the kids start getting bored! I am constantly hearing things like "What are we going to do today?" or "What can I do now?"


So, a few years ago I came up with a Summer Fun jar. I asked my kids what kinds of things they'd like to do over the summer. The rules were simple: 1)the ideas had to be financially feasible, so no "We want to spend the summer traveling around Europe", 2)they had to be things every family member could enjoy together.

I wrote each idea on a strip of paper, folded the paper and put them all in a jar. Each week the kids got to randomly pick one piece of paper from the jar. Whatever was on the paper we had to do within the course of that week.

The Summer Fun jar worked so well. The kids looked forward to picking a "surprise" from the jar each week. And of course, they made sure we followed through and did whatever was written on the paper strip. Now that Buttercup is older and can write, I give her the strips and she writes the ideas on her own.

                                            

Each year, we add or change items to the list. It's up to the kids!!

Here's this year's list.

• Go to the zoo
• Go to the beach
• Make a backyard obstacle course (I make sure there's some water feature to keep everyone cool)
• Go to NY (my kids love the city and there's always something fun going on)
• Pack a lunch and go on a picnic
• Go to the park
• Make outdoor art (I tape a very large paper to the side of the house and let the kids get creative, it's very Jackson Pollock!)
• Go on a hike
• Go out for ice cream
• Catch fireflies (then release them)
• Go to a movie in the park (lots of towns offer them, just bring a blanket or chair)
• Go for a bike ride
• Make s'mores and watch the stars

                                          


What are some of the things you'd like to do with your children this summer?

Happy Homeschooling Adventures!!