We postponed school by 3 1/2 hours today...

Today was a really rough day.  I was battling bad attitudes (and I'm not just talking about the kids) all morning.  I finally called school off for the morning!  It was very clear that no learning of any value was going to take place so we needed a different plan.  School was postponed a few hours.

The morning was spent doing a few errands because Mommy would have gone crazy in the house trying to get things done with a bunch of disobedient children.  Getting outside and driving around was a good "reset" for all of us.

Then when we got home chores needed to be done, followed by lunch.  After lunch we finally gathered around and did our typical morning scripture memorization and prayer.  Then from about 1pm to 5pm (with a short snack break in the middle) we did almost all our normal school work.  The amazing thing was that it was actually a productive afternoon with teachable children.  It was blessedly different than the aggravating morning.

It was sad to have to skip our typical afternoon park playdate (I only miss once in a blue moon!)  But this was necessary today.  Kids needed consequences for poor behavior and schoolwork still needed to get done.  I'm thankful that we had that flexibility.

This Is My Home, This Is My School by Jonathan Bean

I was so excited to find this book while browsing at the library.  I didn't know such a book existed!  I immediately went to the circulation desk and emphatically told the librarian, "Thank you!"  

Here's the description from Amazon:

"Drawing from his own childhood experiences, Jonathan Bean takes the autobiographically inspired family he introduced in Building Our House through the special rhythms and routines of a homeschooling day. For young Jonathan and his sisters, Mom is the teacher and a whole lot more, and Dad is the best substitute any kid could want. From math, science, and field trips to recess, show-and-tell, and art, a school day with this intrepid, inventive family will seem both completely familiar and totally unique. Includes a selection of family snapshots and a note from the author."

There is a plethora of children's books about the first day of school and many more that have their primary setting in an Elementary School.  I have always wished that I could also find picture books that reflect the reality of my home and my children's school.  

Homeschooling is becoming more and more popular.  The homeschooling community in the U.S. is growing by leaps and bounds.  It's wonderful to finally find a book that unapologetically shows that homeschooling is a beautiful option for some families.  

Picture books are an important way to open a child's eyes to the diversity around them.  This Is My Home, This Is My School by Jonathan Bean is a positive step in the right direction for the future of children's literature.