| Air out the back packs, pick out new lunch boxes, | | | | are on a modified year-round calendar. Summer |
| hit the warehouse and discount retailers for | | | | consists of about seven weeks off, and fall break, |
| markers, pencils and glue sticks. It's school time! | | | | winter break and spring break are each two |
| What exactly does that mean for you and your | | | | weeks long. Although this calendar is a guideline |
| family? Does it mean you need to get the kids | | | | for our family, we are also privileged with the |
| re-adjusted to an earlier bed time and wake up | | | | ability to set our schedule according to the needs |
| time? Are you first week in the carpool? Maybe | | | | of our family. Arizona is a great state for |
| you need to check where the new bus stop is. All | | | | homeschooling in that our state government does |
| this seems completely normal and habitual for | | | | not dictate how many, or what days we need to |
| some, but for those of us who choose to | | | | have our kids in "school". Last year, we took a |
| educate our children at home...It's a whole | | | | short break in October, but had a nice three |
| different box of crayons! | | | | week vacation in December and January. Imagine |
| How blessed I felt this year when I again realized | | | | that. We can actually decide what we feel is best |
| I didn't have a teacher wish list, or class supply list | | | | for our own children. We have good friends who |
| to fill. Of course there were a handful of items to | | | | really never stop schooling through what most call |
| pick up at the annual AFHE (Arizona Families for | | | | "summer break". They utilize opportune moments |
| Home Education) Convention, such as math | | | | and days to keep learning in more formal settings. |
| curriculum, timeline and sketch books, phonics | | | | Just think of the retention their kids exhibit! No |
| curriculum for our youngest, and the token treat | | | | worries. I don't know a single homeschooling |
| for each child, but I can honestly say that we | | | | family who never takes a break. |
| spend less money throughout the year not having | | | | Whether it is supplies and clothing you are |
| to buy candles, cookie dough, hot lunches away | | | | concerned with at this moment, or keeping on |
| from home, water bottles, book fair trinkets, | | | | top of your calendar, don't let the well-being of |
| teacher gifts, new school clothes, and of course | | | | your family get lost in the chaos of another |
| never ending supplies for each classroom including | | | | school start-up. Take time to pray for your |
| huge boxes of tissue! | | | | children. Ask for safety in their days and growth |
| My family began our "home school" schedule on | | | | in their spirits. And if that chaos has you |
| July 27th; the same week the Chandler Public | | | | wondering why you send your kids away from |
| Schools did. We do this each year in order to | | | | the ones whom God put in charge, - YOU, maybe |
| coincide with vacations and breaks that other | | | | you need to consider home educating. It's more |
| neighborhood families have. The Chandler schools | | | | fun than you can imagine. |