Home-Ec Days

Every now and then, probably at least once every two weeks if not more often...We have what I call a "Home Ec" day...

Pete's boots

These are the days like today when I wake up and assess our house and schedule and realize that we need to learn and "do"  much more than "school". A "home" can only take so much "school" before an intervention is necessary.


Most of our school kids have been sick all week. On top of that we've had water seeping into our basement calling for three days of shop vac duty to be performed bi-hourly,  yielding three 5 gallon buckets each round that had to be hauled outside and dumped. That kept us busy. On top of that a few 25 lb. food bags got a bit wet which prompted me to can beans, which is a whole other story. And on top of that Grace has been our of town and Hannah hasn't been home much. 

Joe's boots

 So, today is a Home-Ec day. We will catch up on laundry, clean up the mud-room, put away the beans and canners, vacuum (thoroughly), eat three meals, store away all of the rainy-day sick bed toys and books, clean the bathrooms again etc...

  I do not like categorized learning; as if we only learn while seated at a table with a book and pencil. Learning happens all the time and is actually a way of life. This morning, I sat in the quiet with Peter, my 5 year old, and had a long discussion about the seasons. I asked him  questions and told him all about the changing seasons and what each one brings. The other day I told  Joe that since he's better we can get back to "school" and he replied "Why can't we just go outside and do something"? He really learns better by doing...after all he's only 8 and he's a BOY!

All muddy-time for a bath!
I love Home-Ec days. My girls think of all sorts of things to do that "count for school" depending on their bent. Some like to clean and organize, others will get into baking. They are eager to get the house in shape...all motivated by the freedom that not "having to DO school" brings. I have them record everything in their daily logs- they like to see how much they can jot down in there. Children need to know how to do more than push pencils. They must know how their clothes get clean, what is takes to make a meal, where all of the garbage goes (and comes from), that it takes wood to build a fire, that toasters get really full of crumbs that need to be cleaned out (especially at our house--we are huge toast lovers here), that little brothers LOVE mud and make messes and that Mom isn't the only homemaker living here. We practice all of these "lessons" daily, of course, but it's much more fun on Home-Ec days! 

Who I will include in this depends on how dire the situation. Including only the younger children allows the older ones to press on with their studies while they have the chance to learn new skills. Once the basics are covered we will be free to sew, write letters, blog, draw...whatever... inspired by our now tidy, clean, uncluttered home! And tomorrow or next week when we resume our school schedule we will be able to find the right book, sharpen our pencils, walk through the mud room all over again. At least for a time.