pressing pause

marieinthought

“An observant child should be put in the way of things worth observing.”

Charlotte Mason

 

We’ve made a big change in our life  – one that we’ve been debating for many years. If you’ve been following our journey for a while, you might remember this post which sparked quite the conversation in the comments. Two years later and here we are – officially (as in: compulsory age, district-approved) homeschoolers! It was a long road to get here, and not a straight one, but nevertheless, we have arrived. I’m aware that this is a very personal, often controversial topic, but I’m sharing our story in the event it might help someone else in their decision, to connect with other homeschooling families, and to hold ourselves accountable. I don’t think there is any one right way to educate a child. All of the options present their own challenges, and value. It’s not for everyone, and every family strives to make the best choice for their children given their circumstances. We feel quite fortunate to have the option of homeschooling, as my business allows for great flexibility. So far (one month in) it feels a little challenging, a lot right, and even, dare I say – luxurious (at times).

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summer in the berkshires

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I’m not sure I love any place more than New England in the summer. Ok ok, maybe France at any time of year, but I digress. If you follow me on social, you might know that our summer got a jumpstart thanks to a leak in our apartment that required us to vacate for repairs. After getting over the initial shock and frustration, and thanking our lucky stars for having great insurance (shout out to USAA), we decided to make the best of our “vacatetion”. With only a week to make arrangements, I did a deep dive into Airbnb and was thrilled to find a dreamy cottage in the heart of the Berkshires. Stretching along the western border of Massachusetts and bordering the Hudson Valley, Vermont and Connecticut, it’s a perfect setting for adventure. Well worth the drive up from Pennsylvania – we exhaled the moment we arrived.

 

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six (times two)

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These two are officially six…can you believe it?! We kept things simple this year and had a lovely French-inspired birthday picnic at a favorite local park. We got lucky with the weather and managed to avoid the crazy hot temperatures. We tend to shy away from outdoor activity when it gets to be over 80 degrees, if I’m being honest. Why did we have July babies?! I’m kidding – Cancers are the best (both my parents are that sign as well) and the fact that they were born late on the 13th means that they were technically born on le 14 juillet, aka Bastille Day to us (the French don’t call it that). It was a Francophiles dream come true to have my babies born on such a significant French holiday – it was an unplanned emergency c-section, and it was fate. You can read their birth story here, should you be interested. Back to the picnic…

 

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dc with kids

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magnolia blooms D.C.

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We made a last minute decision to tourist around Washington D.C. with the kids for spring break – along with the rest of the world, ha. The cherry blossom festival was happening, despite the fact that those beauties hadn’t bloomed yet. However, the magnolias were in peak bloom, and we found the most beautiful grouping of them in the Enid A. Haupt garden. Situated on the Smithsonian grounds, it’s on the way to the museums and I highly recommend strolling through, any time of year. It was a bustling spot of course, with everyone jockeying for position to get their best gram. I managed to capture this one despite having one adult and two five-year-olds who weren’t as keen to spend the morning blossom hunting. Thankfully they indulged me with a few photos in the garden before we went off to see the sites…

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why we marched

 

Today we participated as a family in the March for Our Lives. While we were unable to join the masses in D.C. (as I did for the Women’s March), we are proud to help amplify their voices by supporting the movement on a local level. It was our children’s first protest, and I can’t think of a more worthy cause. They recently had their first lockdown drill – huddled in silence with their 5 and 6-year-old peers, lights off, in a windowless room. While they don’t know all of the gruesome details (as it wouldn’t be age appropriate), they know enough to understand that gun reform is desperately needed. They eagerly agreed to protest with us (we gave them the option), chose the messages for their signs, and helped to make them. I was so proud to watch them hold those signs high for as long as their little arms could manage, and chant along with the crowd. It felt amazing to show them democracy in action, and the power of people. It made me feel proud to be American, which I haven’t been feeling much of lately. This is our country. This is their future. Enough is enough…let’s get it right.

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