The Beginning of a New UnSchool Year

First Week of School! I had planned to make a post for the first day, but...well, I just plain didn't get around to it. The challenge this year is on my end.  DOCUMENTING everything the kids learn, and how much time they spend doing it.  That is what the state requires, should They ever happen to ask, and I must have these things in order now that Ryvre is (almost) "compulsory age." Day 1 (Monday) was uneventful, and even a little tearful.  I explained to the kids that we really must make an effort to do some "schoolwork" every day.  Even if it's just a little.  They did not want to do it, so we had a nice long talk.  Ryvre and Willow both agree that they would rather stay home and do the work here than miss each other all day while stuck in "regular school" classes, even though they would be with other kids.  It's sweet that that's their main concern: missing their family for most of the day.  Day 2 was spent running errands.  It may not be everyone's definition of classic education, but we did have enlightening conversations about taxidermy (thanks to the decor of Lonestar Steakhouse), finances ("Daddy, can we have..." anyone?) and the water cycle ("Ember's cup is DRIPPING on me!") Day 3 (today) started out rough, but after 10 minutes of instruction, Ryvre has mastered the concept of Place Value, and is adding numbers well into the hundreds!  More importantly, after moping and resisting all morning, he is officially excited about math again!  And he also lost a tooth, as a sidenote. Willow is doing very well with addition; i have to ask her not to yell out the answers when Ryvre is doing his work aloud.