This is something I need to learn. I am simply not a natural at keeping myself and my family busy outside the house. I admit it, I am a homebody. Back in the days when I had 3 children we experimented with soccer and t-ball. Now don't get me wrong, little kids in uniforms running on wet grass falling all over each other is one of the cutest sights you'll ever see. But if you aren't inclined to play or watch sports, and not predisposed to early morning activity, it takes a significant amount of dedication to join the cheering and jeering on the sidelines. Especially if your son is the one sitting down in the field picking the grass. (I love you Andrew!) That experiment didn't last too long.
Honestly, I was just fine with that. Andrew and Melinda were getting good exercise at school, and Timothy enjoyed skiing, biking and hiking. They were getting plenty of exercise. Enter development 364,798. Tahoe Montessori is closing their elementary school, which is timed perfectly with our decision to give homeschooling a go. Great! I'm excited, everything is under control. I know what Tahoe has to offer and how to take advantage of it.
Enter development 365,799. We are moving the family to Long Beach. This is a much needed development. The last 18 months or so have taken their toll on our family with Chris working 500 miles away 3 weeks out of the month. The kids are (oddly) fine with it, and we seem to be in escrow with a house in Long Beach, so I guess this thing is actually happening. Okay, cool. Oh, so wait...how are we going to do all that hiking and skiing that I was planning on doing? Hmmm...guess I need to think of a Plan B for physical activity. Well, the new house does have a pool, that has got to count for something.
This all got me thinking that it wouldn't be a bad idea to find some things in Long Beach for my kiddos to do besides hang out at home with me (they aren't all homebodies like me, you know). Simple, right? Enroll them in activities. After thinking a bit, locating my local libraries, talking to the kids, and pestering Google with endless searches, I've realized that perhaps it isn't as simple as I'd thought. I'm so activity-inept that I don't even know where to begin. I hear people complain that they are overscheduled, and I've come to the conclusion that it's not as easy as it sounds. At least not for a homebody like me. (So, if anyone has a suggestion on how to find an art class for Melinda, a chess class for Andrew, and a computer programming class for Timothy, I'm all ears.)
i like "seem to be in escrow" and "pestering google with searches"...I can just imagine google giving a sigh of exhaustion.
ReplyDeleteWell...dont they play chess at homeless parks? I could imagine Andrew being the next "searching for Bobby Fischer"...The only other thought i had was that 40 hours at work each week seems to fill my schedule. Maybe that is in option? Although the commute to countries without child labor laws might be a bear.
You just need to find your way in to a circle of geniuses, one chess, one art, one compy, that can take on your children as their personal prodigies. Where would you find such people? Got me.
Good luck though.