Fall Holidays: Take One

So, Fall is upon us in the midwest.  It is beautiful to behold but brings with it the usual challenges.  This year, there are certainly new challenges.  Teaching being no exception.  With Ali's health issues, my dr's appointments nearly every day, a six year old with boundless energy and even more boundless questions, as well as a one year old who is discovering himself every day, I feel tired and full of wonder at every passing turn.

Let's start our chat with something that rubs me the wrong way every year about this time,  Columbus Day.  I cannot stand the way American schools teach our children a lie.  Christopher Columbus did not discover America.  Let's get that out of the way.  I have to grit my teeth every year when they are taught that.  Not this time.  This year, I get to un-teach that.  Yea, I know that's not a word, but it is now.  So ha! I got that done.  With Ali, it was easy, she was always a little unsure and questioning about that one anyhow.  With Xan, we really didn't dispell that notion so much as go over what he did do.

Halloween, now that's a whole 'nother kettle of fishies this year.  With Ali's eczema, she can't do makeup or most costumes, and she LOVES dressing up.  I "think" we may have it figured out.  Also, mom has Xan in some kind of play at church on Halloween night so trick or treating went out the window.  We might figure out if a mall or something is doing it on Saturday.  Ali is going to a party on friday night and trick or treating with her friends on Sunday.  Mom isn't thrilled and I guess mason will miss his first Halloween.  He will go to church in costume and mom will have to get over it.

To teach the origin of Halloween will be tricky with mom helping so much this year.  She is a staunch Baptist and wants nothing to do with Halloween.  To her it is a church day (ALL DAY) and her son, my husbands, birthday.  Nothing more.  I was raised Pagan and my husband respects that.  So we teach Samhain and all surrounding that.  We camp out all of halloween weekend, I guess not halloween night this year, but oh well.  Not being in San Diego this year might make the weather interesting, but we will deal.

So, other than that, we are basically doing alot of oral work, watching documentaries, letting the boys play outside and discover fall.  Maybe unschooling a bit.  We will pick up more formal schooling as the weather gets colder.  We are working on a year-round schedule this year to accomodate health issues, so this works.

To those wanting to know, my cancer is being watched.  Kind of a wait and see approach. My muscular dystrophy meds are working to quell the worst of the pain so I can function.  Ali's eczema is getting better.  This flare up is almost over it seems, and I think we are on our way to an almost normal life.  HAHAHA ok, got that one out.  Take care all.
Amber, the fish mom.