Bringing In A New Year!

As a homeschooling mother I embrace this time of year completely. After spending the last few weeks in a time of reflection on the year that has passed. Time considering the activities that did and did not work for us as a family, and for my children as individuals, the new year brings with it a newness, a time for starting fresh.

Each year I always wipe the slate clean, I don't allow myself to get bogged down in the past. If a certain curriculum was a disaster then so be it. We let it go and move on. That is one of the true beauty's of homeschooling. We aren't tied to any one single thing.

With each year, I have children that are also another year older, this year mine will turn 12, 9 and 5, we are very quickly approaching the high school years, exciting times ahead!

Right now though we are enjoying the wonder that this time of year brings, loads of sunshine, swimming, backyard cricket and golf, reconnecting with family and friends that we don't always have the opportunity to spend extended amounts of time with throughout the busy year. It truly is a wonderful time of year.

We have many exciting things planned for the year ahead. We are teaming up with a small group of families to undertake some more 'structured' learning activities at home on a regular basis, or a Learning Circle as we like to call it. The kids will be embarking on their first overseas holiday in the not too distant future. They are also very excited to have more horse riding on the agenda this year, plus Lego Robotics and Sewing/Handicrafts are high on the priority list.

Our one big plan is to get a veggie patch happening. Something we've talked about for awhile now and after seeing the younger two enter my friend's garden as if they had entered Eden I knew that this was the year we had to make it happen.

We will very slowly ease back into the swing of things from next week. More than likely just some very gentle activities around the breakfast table to ease us all back in to the year.

On a blogging note, I've missed this space immensely and the connections that I had made with several bloggers, it is a wonderful community and my hope is that 2013 will see it flourish once more.

Happy Homeschooling!