Release - Trying to Embrace the Experiential Side of Learning This Summer

I am going to start this post with a disclaimer.  My family is fortunate.  We are blessed with good health, to be born here, in Canada, together, and for a plethora of other things, including a supportive family and network of chosen family and friends who help us raise two pretty freaking fantastic children.  Deep breath.....

Every person has 'their things".  The things they aren't good at, the things that they're self conscious about, and the things that they need to work harder at than others.  These are the things that make us stronger, or so just about any Pinterest or Instagram Post will tell you.  But, sometimes it sucks.  Sometimes you're on the treadmill and it keeps on speeding up and you just want to jump off and curl up in the corner or just get a minute to drink your Gatorade and catch your breath.

Having twins, who were born early, and in the latter part of the year, we knew that there would often be catch up in terms of things that other kids could do.  The minions were late to get their teeth, just like they were late to crawl, walk, and talk.  During extensive speech therapy there were times where I thought Jack would never be able to communicate with us. While he's still really shy, within the reaches of his own selected inner circle, he is witty, funny, and an amazing storyteller with a vocabulary.  There were times in SK that I thought he'd never draw or write, but thanks to our work with him, his teacher, and an Occupational Therapist, he's cranking out Super Hero Comics every day - something I thought impossible less than a year ago.

Building on the Beach Summer 2017

School has not been the easiest for either of my kids, particularly Jack.  They're both progressing, but as learning speeds up among their peers it gets more difficult.  Sometimes it feels like we've been speeding both kids along towards milestones that they meet on their own timeline anyway.  I am thankful to all of the teachers, tutors, medical professionals, OTs, and everyone else who has helped to nudge our kids forward.

Sometimes I wish that the kids could learn at their own, self directed pace, without the fear and stress of falling back.  I wish that academic and milestone driven things came easier to both of them, but they don't.  I am happy that my kids are hard workers, and they've never known any differently.  I am hoping that this work ethic sticks with them for a life time, and that we don't push them too hard.


Both are working so hard, and now we have a tutor who we hired this spring, who will continue to work with the minions all summer long to help them maintain and build upon their school learning one to two times a week.  I am happy that this time is something they can work on with their tutor, at their own pace, for two whole months before they're held up against their peers.

In the meantime, because we've 'outsourced' academics for the summer, we can make our time with them about experiential learning and not about 'fighting' them to practice their letters, reading and math.  We can write comics, crafts, postcards, and birthday cards instead.  Both kids want to try new recipes (Molly wants to bake a carrot cake).  We are going to work on learning to ride our bikes, tie our shoes, enjoy nature, hike, and read books on our own reading list.

It's time to take our foot off the peddle and just coast a while, we may end up learning more than we ever hoped!

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