Homeschool Paycheck

A homeschool paycheck ... That's what my good friend in WI calls it when she sees something wonderful in her children that seems to be a result of them being together all day, and learning together ... a homeschool paycheck!

I did not realize till this evening as I flipped through the photos I took earlier that I had photographed one of those moments earlier today. I'm supposed to be on bedrest, or at least keeping my feet up as much as is possible with 4 kids. So, after lunch my older two kids, took the younger two kids out to play in the snow. The care and love that makes the older two give of their time and energy to take care of the younger two is a paycheck enough ... but it got even better! I was laying down reading emails and blogs (of course) and my 12 year old comes running in the house yelling "mom, mom, you've just got to come see this, just for a minute and bring your camera!" She sounded too happy for anything to be wrong, so I got up found the camera and went out the front door to see that my two year old, Z., had skis on and was skiing across the front yard, all on his own. The beaming pride in his eyes and smile could have lit up a room, but then add to that the pride and smiles of his big siblings and I think they could have lit up a whole town! Z has seen the bigger kids ski around the yard before and he usually watches them and just keeps right on playing, but today he wanted: "mine own ... mine own ... me like Gu-Gu". Gus Gus was skiing around the yard and this time Z. wanted in on the fun. So, my oldest, Rosebud, went looking in the garage for the little strap on pair of cross country skis the other boys used when they were like 3 or 4. She found them and got Z. all set up. Keep in Mind Z. is only 2, and smaller than any of our kids were at 2 years old, but there he was like he had been skiing all winter. I’m glad I had the camera to capture the love expressed outside today. Z. wanted to be like his big siblings and do what they were doing. They took the time to get him set up and teach him how to ski. It was such a “paycheck” and a blessing to see how they take such loving care and interest in each other and how much they love and trust each other. They are siblings and yes they do have their days when they fight and drive each other batty … but spending most of every day together, playing together and learning together has really molded the relationship they share. So these were a few snap shots of today’s Homeschool Paycheck!