Today I want to share a great resource I just discovered:  Meet Me At The Corner.

This website is filled with virtual field trips and a virtual book club.  The videos are short and are made by kids for kids.  You can visit a museum or a zoo.  How about watching an interview with an author or illustrator?  Want to learn about comic books?  Or how about the process of making perfume?  Have a book you want your child to read?  Why not have them use one of the book club videos?  You will find additional resources here as well, such as related websites and even questions you can ask to check for reading comprehension.

In addition to the short videos, there are additional resources for learning enhancement.  On the page of each video is a list of related websites and learning activities put together by educators to make the most of the learning time.

Perhaps your child will become inspired and want to create their own video for the site.  There are lessons on how to create a video and on how to submit your own video to share.

All in all, I think that Meet Me At The Corner is a very cool little site with a lot of potential.  And the best part?  It doesn’t cost anything more than a little bit of your time.

Photo by Phaedra

Perhaps one of the funnest things that I choose to do in our homeschool is declare a Jammie Day. This is simply a day where I declare that we will stay in our pajamas all day long as we work through our school work. While it is perhaps unconventional in nature, it is a day we all look forward to.

I am often asked, “Can today be a jammie day, please?” I often say no. Why would I do that if it is such a fun day? I do it so that it remains special. If we did it too often, then it would become a normal thing and would surely become mundane over time.

Why does my son love it so much? Well, that is a great question. I think perhaps it is because he knows that none of his friends who attend public school can have such a day. We spend a lot of time giggling as we work on our school work. Everything becomes just a little more fun. We feel silly and we act silly.

Sometimes I choose to have jammie day along with another theme, such as Reading day. This is a day that we spend cuddled up with a blanket and pillow and read a book or several books all day long. It just makes everything seem new and fun.

Once in awhile I have been known to call a jammie day during the middle of our school day when things seem just a little tougher than normal. There is quite the element of surprise when I announce that it is time to go get into your pj’s and it is only 11:00 in the morning. It seems to make the tougher subjects go just a little easier. The learning is completed and faces are happy. That makes the day that was difficult perhaps just a little more pleasant for all.

We have many fun things that we do in our homeschool to liven up our days. Jammie day is perhaps one of our very favorites. Which days are the tried and true favorites in your homeschool? Do you do anything extra fun?

So I have recently been reminded (and alarmed) that the rate of speed that a boy grows is not even remotely consistent with any sense of normal. My child has not only gotten taller these past few weeks, but his shoulders have broadened at an alarming rate and he skipped two sizes of clothing when it comes to shirts. Frankly, he is currently built like an ape. A long upper body with broad shoulders and I swear his legs haven’t grown at the same speed. It appears that his height has come from the waist up this time.

At thirteen years of age, I am now currently at his nose in height. I am a “stellar” 5’5” in height and while that may be fairly average, in my family I am one of the tallest girls. I am having to buy shirts in a large  to extra-large adult size in order to fit his shoulders. I hold up the shirt in the store and think there is no way that huge shirt is gonna fit my little boy. Then I get home and it does, but I know that it won’t be for long if he continues to grow at the same rate. I am shocked by how the shirt looks when he is wearing it. It doesn’t look so big.

My husband was alarmed the other day when he found the milk jug in the refrigerator half empty. He commented that He had just opened it that morning and had had one glass. I didn’t bat an eye and said, “Well the boy is currently going through a growth spurt. It will slow down when he quits growing for a moment.” Three gallons of milk later, he has slowed down to an acceptable pace. I feel fortunate. Last time it was about six gallons.

Although my baby was average in size when I gave birth to him, I am only just now realizing that I actually gave birth to a giant. The package was deceptive. He will probably turn out to look like someone I wouldn’t want to meet up with in a dark alley. However, he has a heart of gold and a deep and caring compassion for other people. He also has a sense of humor and wants to draw comic strips when he grows up. Yet another facet of the old adage that appearances can be deceiving! Hopefully he won’t continue to grow up too fast and I can still enjoy the child in him as he journeys to becoming a man.

How do you deal with your kids growing up too fast?