SUMMER Full Steam With Socialization Fun

WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN - I am extending Summer!

You heard it, the kids are thriving this summer. My goal this summer was 'Socialization' - yep the dreaded word to describe homeschooled kids lack of ability to fit in with their 'traditional' school peers.

The experiment...

Put Tiger Lilly (my 13yr old) in as many sleep away camps as affordable and break it up with family vacations and day camp that she loved when in traditional school.

We are 1 week into our adventure and it's proving FRUITFUL!

The 3 Sleepaway Camps we selected are within driving distance of our home.

River Valley Ranch (MD) $545 for the week

HighPoint Camp (PA) $250 for the week (yes, you heard me - that's it!)

Camp Wabanna (MD) $345 for the week

We booked them early and was able to make payments. She's going to 1 sleepaway a month.

Day Camp in between

1 week of Family Vacation.


The experiment...on my Little guy - Speed Racer


Speed Racer had some old habits we thought were gone show back up. However, we are still trying him on 1 week sleep away camp.

Day camp, week 1, started off good enough for him. I mean everyday the kid was waking up before I got up to go to work so he could make his lunch and be ready for day camp.

The snag came about mid week when he 'felt' the camp counselor wrongly accused him of instigating a fight and Speed Racer had a 'Tantrum'. Well this is not acceptable. So we had to reiterate the 'CALM DOWN' list rules that he worked on while homeschooling. And exact some punishment of no video game time and the possibility of not going on the camp trip to the amusement park.

He turned his week around and got himself back on track.

If his Tantrum’s show up again...

We will work through them since he doesn't have them at home with us any longer (he didn't when he was in traditional school - for some reason he only did it at school, then when we homeschooled him, it came out. We nailed it down and he stopped but apparently we still need to work on this).

So we talked with the camp, told them to have him read his 'CALM DOWN' List if he does this again.

We also told him and had him repeat, that 'things aren't so bad' if you have to do a time out. Respectfully ask to give your side of the story, if the counselor doesn't want to hear it - take the punishmen - then wait and tell Mom/Dad who will
handle things when we get to school.


AS FOR THE REST OF SUMMER AND HOMESCHOOLING...

I've finished planning our curriculum.

Summer will be extended another week - We will start back homeschooling on July 28th, 2014 instead of 2 weeks earlier as planned.

My oldest daughter Rose, is getting ready to leave for Denmark after returning for barely a week from Ireland (I wish I could go with her). She wants a job when she returns so she is hoping to attend her new college's job fair.

Static Ray, my oldest son, went with Speed Racer as a chaperone to his trip to the Amusement Park and earned tons of 'big brother' stars. He starts his 2nd job as a camp counselor full time next week. Also, the kid is now doing stand up comedy O_o as a hobby he says.

Shesh, I'm tired already@!