Anyone have any tips for getting through the end of the year when the weather is nice, the kids are squirrley and the garden is beckoning?
Christine

I think during our last couple of months of school we come the closest to unschooling that we ever are. We're fairly relaxed anyway, but toward the end of the year things tend to get very relaxed! I basically give the kids their assignments for the rest of the year, then leave it up to them to get it all done (with my help as needed). I don't stress over schedules, and they can do the work in whatever order they choose. They know what when all the assigned work is done, they're off school for the summer. Sometimes they'll push themselves to finish early, other times they'll drag it out to the last possible day! This year I think they'll finish things in stages, so that by our last couple of weeks they'll only have one or two subjects to work on. It seems that our homeschooling goes in cycles through the year. We start out fairly structured, relax over the holidays, gear up again in January, then start to wind down and relax again around Spring Break. Not real consistent I guess, but it works for us.
Lori
P.S. I've also found that taking an extra long lunch break and going for a swim helps us get through an otherwise long afternoon, especially on the days that we stay home all day long.

Hi Lori,
It's funny, but mine are finishing in stages too. They finished geography, they're almost done with Spanish and they finished Bible a few months ago. Som they're down to 4 or 5 things, although Algebra 2 may stretch into the summer. Yuk!
Christine

We also get down to lists of things to finish by the end of the year and then they are off for summer.

I am trying something new this spring with a highschooler and jr. higher. I am letting them set their own schedule for this last bit of time with some parameters. They have to be done with their weeks work on Fridays by 5 PM. They have to turn off TVs and computer at 10PM and we still get together at lunch time instead of first thing in the morning for bible time and history plus we have to work math videos in there as well(I watch those with them). Also, especially for my ds, they have to eat lunch at lunch time so everyone isn't on different eating schedules.

Mind you we have only done this for a week and a half but they love it. They both do some of their work later at night and then sleep in. My dd will probably be finished pretty soon with most things since she will work ahead with an end goal in sight. My ds loves the relaxed schedule but will probably just stay on schedule to finish in mid May. Personally, I don't really like it, them sleeping in and all but it is making our household happier and it is a nice bonus for the end of the year. We started this after our Stanford Achievement tests were finished and had our Spring Break. I am trying as they get older to let some of the responsibility of getting the work done be on them but this is not my best area. At least there is some structure with this that I can live with.
Jody in FL