HS & Family Work in Urban Areas

[justthinkn]

Hi -

I'm new to this forum, tho I've lurked a bit. DD is just 20mo, but I'm starting to consider homeschooling. I figure it's probably good that I have the lead time to consider it more philosophically, since I had really never pictured going this route before.

So here's my Q... A big benefit that gets mentioned for HS, and one that sounds attractive to me, is that there's more time for doing things as a family and totally involving the children in more natural family life, including work like cleaning and cooking and even gardening.

I love that idea... But for those who live in more urban areas, how does that work out? I just don't spend that much time every week cleaning our small duplex; we have no yard; sure, cooking together would be fun... (Even in the babywearing and toddler stage, I have difficulties, b/c it seems to me that DD is wired to watch me work and later to try to participate... And I do include her in all that I can. But those tasks just don't fill that much of the day! Maybe partly b/c she's just baby #1 )

I guess, I'm just asking what the having more time for family life and learning practical skills looks like for your family, and esp. for those who live in more urban areas.

Thx!

[Linda on the move]

We move a lot for my DHs job and therefore have had the opportunity to homeschool in big cities, in rural areas, in a country where we didn't speak the language, and near a beach. There are pros and cons to every situation.

The pros to homeschooling in a big city are (IMHO) arts and culture. Museums, openings, theatre, etc. My kids got to see so many amazing things.

Personally, I enjoy all that stuff a lot more than gardening. But if you really want to garden with your kids, there are most likely community gardening programs you could do together.

[Daffodil103]

When my DD was young, we lived in the city. I wasn't homeschooling then but can see lots of potential for learning activities. Mundane activities around the home such as grocery shopping, cleaning, cooking can be natural starting points for learning about personal values, consumer culture, environmental issues, science etc. Things sort of just evolve. As the child's interest is piqued, you can sort of meander with it especially during the early ages. These discussions can be followed up with trips to museums etc as mentioned by pp. I absolutely enjoyed the arts and culture aspect of urban living.

You can also arrange day trips into the country for activities such as picnics, apple picking and nature walks. Most urban areas have green spaces and play parks and shallow wading pools that can all add to the fun.

Festivals! I love summer festivals and most of them are in the urban core. I remember getting out my stroller and sun screen and soaking up the great atmosphere.

I loved the diversity in my urban area. Not just in terms of ethnicity but lifestyle (from hippies, upscale condo corporate types to panhandlers.)

As you can see, I miss the city. The 'burbs are just blah. I think you'll have great fun and lots of learning opportunities. If you're lucky, most things will be walking distance.

One more thing, if you have a patio, you could try container gardening. There seems to be a resurgency in this pastime.

Have fun!

[sammysmaman]

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We're toying w/the idea of homeschooling next year, and it's precisely *because* we live near NYC that hs is so appealing. I can take the kids to the Met to learn about art, to the Museum of Natural History, to the Bronx Zoo, etc. We have these amazing places right at our fingertips! There's no way we can get bored - there are new things to discover and places to explore. Our library offers free passes to most museums, so we wouldn't even have to pay entrance fees.