Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Birthday with Family


Grandpa came down a couple of days before his birthday and visited us for the day. He also stayed for their swimming lesson and took a nice walk in the park with us.

Because most of Austyn's friends are homeschoolers like us, he invited one of his school friends over to our family get together which was the day before his birthday, and saw his homeschool friends during the day on his birthday. We had one cake and just shared it with his homeschool friends the next day. Family is a big part of homeschool life and the more we can incorporate family the better. Being family oriented over peer oriented is the goal for many who homeschool.

"In the long term . . . the positive effects on learning of reduced anxiety and disorientation will gradually be canceled by the negative effects of peer orientation. Thus follows the research evidence that early advantages of preschool education are not sustainable over time. Peer-oriented kids go to school to be with their friends, not to learn. If these friends are also not into learning, academic performance will slip. When children go to school to be with one another, they are primed only to learn enough not to stand out, to remain with those their own age. Other than that, learning is irrelevant and can even be a liability to peer relationships.", Gordon Neufeld (Author of Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers)


No comments: