The blog cruise question this week is: "How do you incorporate the extras like art and music into your day?"
When my oldest daughter was very little, she wanted to learn how to play the violin. After her 6th birthday she began lessons. We have had several changes through the years since then with instructors and methods, but have continued to prioritize music lessons as something to fit into our schedule. Now all three of my children take music lessons and their Grandparents contribute because they also want it to continue. We have been very blessed for the past several years with their current teachers who also happen to be home schooled students, just a little older than my girls and incredibly gifted. Em shared that they are also much more patient with her than her last teacher. So, for a more direct answer to the actual question, my kids know that they have more freedom after "school, chores, and music" are completed each day.
Beyond their instruments, up until this weekend, choir has been mostly included just at church. My middle child is moving up from 6th grade and has been a part of the seasonal children's musicals at church with my son. This weekend, though, she has enjoyed a wonderful opportunity at our state homeschool convention. In addition to the girls joining the orchestra and performing Friday night (which they have looked forward to since first participating last year,) Emily was able to be in the youth choir. I watched a little of their practice and it reminded me of my college choir.They had a guest conductor who taught them a traditional spiritual song as well as a beautiful Latin one. Em did admit that the church children's choir does seem a little babyish to her after that, but I'm still looking forward to her solo in their performance next Sunday.
Art is an entirely different issue. We do art projects in big ways, but do them for a whole afternoon at a time and then may not pull out paintbrushes for another month after that. My Mom also enjoys painting, and sometimes the kids will paint with her, too. Just recently we have been sketching more as the kids' new MFW lesson plans include nature studies. That doesn't take quite as long as some projects we have attempted.
When my oldest daughter was very little, she wanted to learn how to play the violin. After her 6th birthday she began lessons. We have had several changes through the years since then with instructors and methods, but have continued to prioritize music lessons as something to fit into our schedule. Now all three of my children take music lessons and their Grandparents contribute because they also want it to continue. We have been very blessed for the past several years with their current teachers who also happen to be home schooled students, just a little older than my girls and incredibly gifted. Em shared that they are also much more patient with her than her last teacher. So, for a more direct answer to the actual question, my kids know that they have more freedom after "school, chores, and music" are completed each day.
Beyond their instruments, up until this weekend, choir has been mostly included just at church. My middle child is moving up from 6th grade and has been a part of the seasonal children's musicals at church with my son. This weekend, though, she has enjoyed a wonderful opportunity at our state homeschool convention. In addition to the girls joining the orchestra and performing Friday night (which they have looked forward to since first participating last year,) Emily was able to be in the youth choir. I watched a little of their practice and it reminded me of my college choir.They had a guest conductor who taught them a traditional spiritual song as well as a beautiful Latin one. Em did admit that the church children's choir does seem a little babyish to her after that, but I'm still looking forward to her solo in their performance next Sunday.
Art is an entirely different issue. We do art projects in big ways, but do them for a whole afternoon at a time and then may not pull out paintbrushes for another month after that. My Mom also enjoys painting, and sometimes the kids will paint with her, too. Just recently we have been sketching more as the kids' new MFW lesson plans include nature studies. That doesn't take quite as long as some projects we have attempted.
So how do you include these extras? Link over to the blog cruise to see how others answered this question.
I need to do more art projects with my children. I really need to work on teaching my daughters to sew.
ReplyDeleteChoir sounds fun!
My 11 year old plays piano very well. We went and listened to our local community orchestra & now she wants to learn another instrument to be able to play when she is in high school.
ReplyDeleteBriana, my oldest daughter has more sewing at the top of her list of requests.
ReplyDeleteLisa, piano skills should help her learn any other instrument more easily.