Value of "Interruptions"

Nonna & La

March is turning out to be a crazy month. We had a wonderful visit from Chris's mother and sister this weekend. It was a huge surprise for both Chris and La. They left yesterday, so today I am looking at our week and month ahead getting reorganized. This month we have 2 more visitors. My niece is coming on Friday for a week. Cousins are coming to visit the last weekend of this month. I am so glad for all these visitors, yet when I look over our schedule I am left wondering when we will get in our study time. It seems that as soon as we settle in on a schedule and get rolling with some wonderfully inspired learning, we are interrupted. This stresses me a little, thinking that we are not getting in "enough" studying. Then I remind myself ~ one of my main reasons for homeschooling ~ The opportunity for our family to live life together. To not be separated and going in 3 different directions at once. So I decided to get down what value these types of "interruptions" have in getting a great education.

• We practice and learn the art of hospitality. This involves putting another person's needs before your own.

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging." 1Peter 4:9

• We learn to be flexible in our schedule and adjust to changes without an inappropriate attitude.
• Family bonds are strengthened through tradition and time spent together. Our immediate family is in 3 different states so these visits our precious time to us.
• When we have visitors we tend to get out there and explore our community and state more than we would if left to ourselves.
• We create memories that enrich our lives.
• Many of these visits involve excursions to "educational" places such as museums or National Parks.
• Real life opportunities are created for reading (menus, maps, park guides), math (comparing new experiences to past experiences, splitting a restaurant bill, adding enough place settings to the dinner table), writing (journal writing, blogging), science (observing nature & weather), history (museums, parks, monuments), social (interacting with the community, family relationships).

I have come to the conclusion that these "interruptions" are what home educating is all about. Living your life as a family, learning and loving along the way. So, who wants to come visit us in April?