Oct. 29, 2008 - A Day in the Life of a Seven Year Old
You know, when we first started homeschooling I used to check out homeschooling magazines from the library. I figured I needed to learn as much as I could, (Still do), and loved reading them. (Still do!) However, my favorite articles were not the ones that talked about teaching methods or curriculums, but rather, the real nitty gritty, “this is how my day goes”, articles. You know the ones. The ones where the perfect family of four neatly dressed children ages 2, 4, 6, and 8 are sitting contentedly around the table, smiling during Bible time. Those.
Well…I’ve decided to record one of our days. Straight from the mind and mouth of my seven year old. I didn’t make anything up and if you would like a picture of our entire day, just multiply these experiences times 4 with various moods and temperaments thrown in for fun. Enjoy.
Said day begins:
Upon waking: “What’s for breakfast? No, I don’t like that, can I have toast? What? What’s a short order cook? Fine, I’m not eating.” “Is the coffee done yet?”
After finally choking down breakfast: School Begins
Bible Time: Read Judges 7 – Stated that “the Bible is cool, it has action and man is it gory”
Science: drew this…while humming…
Switched over laundry.
Reading: Read aloud Adventures in Sound…while humming…
History: Asked me “if Pedro Menendez was going to hell for killing all the Frenchmen.” (Which, by the way was a nice time for me to once again explain the Gospel)
We also watched a video on St. Augustine in which he asked me “if the bellows used in the forge were the same as in Gulliver’s Travels, on the dog?”…my my my…too much to explain there, all I can say is read it, it’s interesting, sorta.
Lunch: Ate exactly one teaspoon of soup with 15 crackers and called it good.
Switched over Laundry, while spinning on the ground like a breakdancer and whistling.
Playtime: Pestered one sister. Pestered the other. Looked awfully sweet while giving his mama a kiss. Put several puzzles together. Stated that “it is too cold to go outside.” (It was 65 degrees) Made a funny face at his brother. Built a domino line, while whistling. Knocked down his brother’s line first, then his. Ran away. Found the dress up stuff. Pulled it all out. Found what he wanted. Walked away in said costume. Brought his mama a glass of water while sliding across the kitchen floor. Climbed up on the furniture and jumped off.
Switched over Laundry. Asked “is this the last time?”
Schoolwork resumes:
Progeny Press: Asked “if we lived back then, would we have helped the slaves escape or what?” Good character question or what?
Handwriting: Loves cursive and proceeds to make pictures out of the words. Like this…
Math: Manages to finish math, but not without more interesting artwork…Like this…
(I thought the reference to math being as hard a rock pretty clever actually)
More artwork from today's math...
Yet more...
(He said, "it's a flower child"...I don't know what to think about that...)
Anyway... he decides to be a conductor while listening to Beethoven and drawing above artwork. Still math time. States that he “can’t find my math test book. I’ve looked everywhere.”
Spelling: Did SpellingPower. Missed: water, better, teacher, giraffe
Wrote this as his final sentence for the day, while humming. “I have a teacher that is not a person, but a giraffe that has bad teeth and drinks water better than I do.” Honestly.
Switched over Laundry, dropped it to the floor in exhaustion. Perked right up when it was stated that free time was coming.
Was sent to feed the dog. Looked for the armadillo. Looked at the giant dirt piles in the backyard. Decided he was cold and came back in. Was sent back out to feed the dog.
It was here that I realized that he was dressed like this:
Free Time: Many many many more times spinning on the floor. Opened the garage, spent time riding his bike. Made a ramp in the driveway. Tried to get up it belly down on the skateboard. Came back in. Pestered his sister. Hugged his mama. Wrestled with his brother. Cried. Kept wrestling anyway. Found his math test book that was “lost” during math time. Listened during lecture on keeping things put away…sortof. Leap frogged his sister on the way back to the living room. Grinned.
Switched over the laundry and asked “Seriously, mama, is this the last time?”
Dinner: Asked “What’s for dinner? What’s in that? Oh.” Helped get something from the top shelf of the pantry. By climbing. Broke apart chips during dinner and pretended that they were rocket ships going up, then coming down in his mouth. Discussed elusive armadillo during dinner. Discussed frying it. (We are reading My Side of the Mountain)
After Dinner: Galloped to and from the table while clearing the dishes. Spent time with Daddy making “really cool” domino lines. Played outside. Looked again for the armadillo. Braved looking under the shed. Came back in. Spun in a circle with a pillow, said it was a new game called “Hurricane”. Scared his sisters by telling them that armadillos spread diseases. Grinned. Picked up dominoes while pretending that there were dangerous gases coming from the domino box. After he was finished he stated “level complete”. Put on a birthday party for his stuffed dog, Scooter. Wrapped and presented his present, while humming. Played spies with his siblings. Never once this evening was he without his trusty pistol stuck in his belt.
At this point in the evening I crashed. It was about 8 and by the time I woke up at 9 the kids were all in bed, thanks to their daddy! This was definitely not a perfect day, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those.
It was a good day for me. I pray it was for him as well.
Comments
Oct. 31, 2008 - Fun!
Posted by Anonymous
Thanks for the laugh!!!! Sounds pretty close to my day too!!!!l Not quite the image you get in the magazines right?! A TRUE homeschooling family:)
~kim j
Apr. 1, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Making words out of cursive writing was the tops! too cute! mema
