Summer School, here we come!

I gave the kids the week-end off, and told them we would start summer school on Monday. I had prepared the schedule and showed it to them. They were excited that Wednesday was a day off from school and a day with friends. Saturday proved to be disappointing to them, since it remained the same with weekly chores to be performed and maybe a movie. They weren't very keen on the other days either, but I knew that with time they would come to love all the fun stuff I had planned for them. I wasn't a bit discouraged. On the contrary, I was looking forward to showing my kids a good time.

So, last night I was all excited to get my materials ready and prepare to teach my children the next day. Unfortunately, before I went to bed I started reading a really fun book, and this morning when Elijah left for work, I got up and read some of it in bed, thinking I had time to finish it before the children woke up. Well, I was almost done with the book when I heard the children stir in the living room. Unwillingly, I got up and greeted my darlings. I burst out laughing when I was faced with the most awesome scene: all of my children, including Charlton, had blankets on them and each were reading on their own on the couch and recliners. I honestly couldn't stop laughing. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We did get to do a lot of school, and my kids truly enjoyed it. Gillian didn't like her 50 spelling words she had to work on, and Jefferson kind of complained about doing harder math than his grade level, but all of them loved memorizing poetry and reading history books. However, the highlight of the day wasn't school or the books we read. It was the Running Club. Jefferson and James kept going till they finished running their 5 miles; Gillian stopped running for a while and played with friends at the playground. I encouraged her later on to finish her 5 mile today, so they could all get their prize at the same time. I encouraged her mostly because I knew she would be upset when her brothers would tell their father about finishing their run. She lives to make her father happy. And so she kept going till she was done ! She was the last one on the track, but she achieved her goal.


As for Charlton, I was happy to have him with me, but he had a different mind. He walked two laps (half a mile) trying to catch up with his siblings who kept passing him continuously. The brothers were so intent in being among the first to finish the 5 mile goal, that they just said 'hello' to him and kept going. Gillian, as the sweetest sister ever, stopped and walked with him, and toward the end she would even carry the big chunky boy on her back. Thankfully my friend Hillary, who was being an awesome example to her children by running alongside them, offered to put Charlton on her stroller and push him along. He loved that. I tried to get him out several times so Hillary didn't have to push a 30 pound baby around, but he rejected my offer with many protestations. Hillary assured me she was okay. That's how Charlton "ran" his miles.

When we had Family Home Evening later tonight, the children shared the poems they learned and stories they read, but most of all they were proud to show their running cards to their father. Elijah suggested that next time I run alongside my children, and of course my kiddos were very excited at the prospect of beating their mom on the race track. As if that is something hard to do! But I'm not one to be discouraged easily. I'll try to give my boys a run for their money, at least for the first mile.