I was speaking with my neighbor last night when she mentioned how touched she was to see my children out every day, picking up the leaves and flowers that fall from the trees in our joint front yard. She used to be out every day, working on our front yard, but with her new job and her husband gone for a year to D.C., my husband and her son now take turns keeping it mowed, and my kids pick up the plumerias that fall every day from the tree that leans over her side of the lawn area.

We have a tree that leans over the front patio of our side of the yard, and this tree drops so many leaves that if they are not picked up daily they would choke the plants and cover the patio floor. For a couple of years now, the girls have been in charge of picking these up every day. A few months ago they noticed that Marty has not been able to keep up with the flowers on her side of the yard, and without comment to anyone they began to take care of those as well. I hadn't even noticed until later, when I just happened to go out when they were doing it. It's quite wonderful to see that at just 6 and 11 years of age, they are recognizing that their neighbor has a need and they are working to fill it.

Last week my son, age 9, asked me if he could help the girls with the leaves every day. He had noticed that he was getting his chores done faster than they were, and wanted to help them with their chores. I was quite surprised that he had even noticed! Of course I agreed, and I pointed out to him that I was proud of him for seeing a need and offering to help.

So, last night as I was explaining this to my neighbor, I had the opportunity to point out to her (and maybe a little to myself) that if the primary goal of our family's home education was to develop character, that this was my real "test results." Seeing this level of maturity already is even more meaningful that the SAT results I was boasting about last month.

This is my entry to win a camera in the "Capture the Educational Moment" Contest sponsored by Spunky and Academic Superstore.