Perks

As we enter into yet another week of homeschooling, I can't help but ponder over all the "perks" I'm learning about that are out there for homeschoolers!

Our local YMCA holds 2 fitness sessions each week for homeschoolers for one hour. One session is held in the gymnasium on Mondays where kids play games that exercise their bodies (we haven't checked this session out yet), and a second session on Thursdays in the pool. In the past few years my girls have become so fond of the water. Every chance they get, especially in the summer months, they are asking to get in the pool. The fitness program on Thursdays is right up their alley. The more proficient swimmers are allowed to take a "swim test" that requires them to swim the entire length of the pool and then wade in the water for 2 minutes. Once they pass this swim test they are paired with a life guard that helps them refine their swimming skills. Those not as comfortable swimming on their own in deep water and not ready for the swim test are paired with a life guard that helps them refine the basics.

In the sessions that the girls have attended the life guard has urged them to take the test, but they just don't have the courage just yet to take the jump into the deep end for the swim. Maybe in time...

Another cool perk that I just love are the library services available. I haven't investigated services available in our local library with the new library building just opening up, but the services available in the Fredericksburg Central Rappahannock Regional Library are wonderful. There are many services available to all library members like online book holds, renewals, and searching the card catalog. As a homeschooling parent you also have the advantage of checking books out over and over as long as no one else places a hold on the book. You can also submit a request(s) for the librarian to pull together a collection of books centered on a specific topic/for a particular age group and once the book collection has been put together they'll notify you for pick up.

The library has always been one of my favorite places to just spend hour after hour in. I love the smell of libraries, seeing all the books on the shelves, and just the quiet environment.

The last perk that I'll make note of is ... pj day, any day you like! I know that something as simple as pjs may seem silly, but seriously its nice to just one day out of the week spend the homeschool day in your pjs! Our typical daily routine is to get up and dressed each morning, but lounging in our pjs has a way of making arithmetic a little more easier to stomach when you're all comfy!