The Traditional School Scenario
The few weeks before school starts is usually met with a flurry of activities such as shopping for uniforms, shoes, socks, a new backpack, notebooks, pencils and the lot. We scurry here and there looking for the best bargains that fit our budget. We also get busy planning what lunches to send with the kids and start setting aside money for “baon” or snacks.
As the first day of school approaches, the kids get nervous about seeing friends, terror teachers, and “enemies” again, and anxiousness about what’s in store for the next year set in.
D-Day comes and there is the familiar hustling and bustling about of kids to wake up early, eat fast and go. And because we live about 30 minutes from the nearest school, the kids have to wake up earlier to make time for the travel.
RD is not a morning person and is almost always grumpy when he has to get up early and get ready for an early breakfast and then head for school.
The Homeschool Scenario
What a marked difference it was for RD’s first day at homeschool. He woke up at 7:30, ate a leisurely breakfast, had a warm bath, and played with our pets before starting his first class at 8:30. He was actually excited to start school! It was so refreshing to see that. He was not grumpy, but raring to start class. He sat at the table in his deck-class room, tapping a pencil on it calling out, “I’m ready, Ma!” Best of all, we both didn’t have to dress up – we were in our house clothes!
Because he was in a such good spirits, I decided to celebrate his first school day with something he loves to do: origami! He loved this activity so much that I decided I was going to do something he liked to celebrate first school day every year from now on. We’ll start the First Day of Homeschool Tradition!
Here are a few pictures of that day.
Homeschooling Adventures 