Nature Club
I’ve signed my brood up for a nature club. It’s a monthly gathering of a small group of like minded mamas and kiddos who will meet and take nature walks and observe and document our findings in our nature journals. The group is Charlotte Mason inspired and I am eager to implement some of her methods into our little homeschool. Yes, our homeschool. We homeschool. We are homeschoolers. Let’s just get that out there in public now. I have not gone to social media about homeschooling before, so this is new territory. But, it’s part of our lives and as much as I try to balance our personal and public lives (with the exception of very raw and personal childbirth stories), I’m thinking that it is no big deal to share some of our homeschool adventures. Perhaps they may even encourage someone or at the very least they will help me articulate some of our education decisions.
This is our first year of ‘formal’ schooling and I am excited to have a focus for time spent in nature. Our kids spend a ton of time in nature. They spend more time outdoors than indoors and that is just a natural extension of our lives as farmers/homesteaders. I think this nature club will be a great experience and opportunity for the kids (and me!) to start a nature journal and practice drawing and painting and get outside and explore parks and places that we’ve never been.
Although the group meets just once a month, it’s a huge commitment for me, because we will also be reading through volume 1 ‘home education’ by charlotte Mason and ‘meeting together’ via video conferences to discuss the writings. We’ll also have some other field trips and meet ups in between. The drive will be a great time to get some audiobooks finished and maybe some naps for the youngest darlings.
I’m nervous excited as we dive in. Our first nature club meet is this Friday. Last night the mamas all gathered for introductions and a casual meeting and it was a wake up call for me and the commitment that we are making. It’s not around the corner. But, it’s good. It’s very good and we’re going to do it… rain or shine apparently.
XO.
