One More Thing to Love

Last week was our first week back at the homeschool grind after a delightfully long Christmas break, and I was feeling fresh, pleasant, and energetic. So on Tuesday morning when I found out that Jake had slept in his clothes again, I skipped all my previous speeches on why we sleep in pajamas. (These finer points of etiquette seem to get lost on boys anyway.)

"You know," I said, "I would be happy to get some fabric and help you make some pajama pants." Of course, I was really offering to do it on our next homeschool break--a couple months away. But the conversation quickly turned when we realized we still had leftover remnants from the fabric Grace and Abby used to make him a bathrobe and slippers for Christmas.

So that morning after Jake finished his schoolwork and while Abby was doing her math sheet, I showed him how to pin, alter, and cut out a pattern.

 That afternoon I helped him sew it all together with a few basic pointers (and heavy involvement when it was time to put in the waist.

It was a great reminder of just one more reason why I love homeschool so much.

Throughout the day I had coached the kids as they prepared their own lunches (and scraped off the burnt pieces of the toast they cooked too high). 

I explained how to hard boil eggs and tutored Jake as he made scones for an afternoon snack. It felt good to empower my kids with skills and experiences. I love teaching them that they are intelligent and capable. 

Yes, any family can help their children gain kitchen and sewing prowess. But homeschool gives me more time to do it. It's just one more thing I love about homeschool.