How I came to be a homeschooling mom

I was never happy in school. From the start (grade one, I think), I tried to miss as much school as I could. And, when I was in school, I was sad, withdrawn and almost a shadow of who I really was.

I was determined to have my kids have a better school experience than I did, to help them understand the ways that school could work well for them, but after years and years of seeing my oldest son repeat the same patterns I had – trying to stay home all the time, sad at school, frustrated and not thriving with learning even though he’s incredibly smart, I knew we had to do something different. 

There was one day in particular when my feelings about trying to make school better for him changed. I realized that I was trying to teach him how to get through school the way I got through school.

“Just don’t pay attention, it’s fine. Think about other things and you’ll learn it later when you’re not in class.”

So, my advice was to go and sit in a classroom all day, bored and distracted, and learn what needed to be learned out of class because it would be easier that way.

What kind of terrible advice is that?! Why should he sit around all day wasting space, just because we think going and spending all day at school every day is the thing we’re supposed to do? The ultimate goal is to actually learn, right?

But I don’t want to teach him to be a quitter!

We’ve all been taught school is a part of life. You go to school because you learn the things you need to learn to get a job – how to get things done on deadline, how to learn, how to be at a place all day, how to be evaluated, etc., etc., etc. We don’t question this, it’s just how it is.  

When your kid is miserable at school, letting them not go to school may feel like you’re teaching them that it’s okay to quit, but I want you to think about this – if you were in a job you hated for YEARS, wouldn’t you quit and find another job? Would that be a bad thing or something you should be proud of yourself for? (My vote is proud btw.)

Real life isn’t all fun and games

Another argument for school is that we need to learn what it’s like to live in the real world, and it may not be fun, but it’s life.

True. But also, there are ways that you can find success without working a regular 9-5 job and sitting at a desk all day. *I* created my own career and that’s a thing a LOT of people do now and it’s is going to be more and more common. Having a career doesn’t need to look like what work used to look like, so why should school have to look the same it’s always looked? The answer is, it doesn’t!

The points I’m making, they’re basically what I had to tell myself as my husband and I struggled through figuring out how to support our son. I caught myself, time and time again, thinking that the goal was to “fix things” so that he could love the school system. Finally, I just realized he didn’t have to love the school system, we just needed to find what worked for him.

Turns out, homeschooling isn’t even what I thought it was 

Whenever I tell people we’ve started homeschooling their eyes go as round as saucers as they say, “how do you have the time?!” and my answer is always “well, it turns out that homeschooling doesn’t have to look like me actually sitting down at the kitchen table and teaching my kid stuff.” Which is 100% what I thought it would look like. I thought I’d be trying to figure out the curriculum and how to teach it and when to teach it and we’d all be sitting at the kitchen table sobbing in frustration that we had to do it, that it sucked, and that none of us understood any of it!

Turns out that’s not how it has to be. We’ve embraced unschooling and self-directed learning and just learning that learning doesn’t have to hurt! (I will say, it helps that because I created my own career and I work from home, that it absolutely makes it easier for me to take this on compared to someone with a traditional job).

My kid takes classes on Outschool (that link will get you $20 off your first class btw, and we’ll get a $20 credit too) and takes all kinds of workshops and classes (like rock climbing) and goes to drama class and loves to learn about programming and creative writing. He spends time with other homeschooling kids and he’s seeming happier and happier.

I don’t know if we’ll homeschool forever, but for now, I love that this is something we can do, that I am applying all that I believe about how we can create our own lives to the lives of my children, and that we don’t need anything to look a certain way just because that’s what it’s always looked like. I’m a homeschooling mom trying to teach my kid that he can create a life that works for him and all of his amazing strengths, and it doesn’t have to suck all the time – and I’m pretty proud of that.

Do you homeschool or unschool? Leave a comment and share your experiences.

We're Off To See The Wizard: with a Live Orchestra

I often catch myself humming, “We’re off to see the Wizard…” and now I can hum it along with hundreds of others at the NAC this March! Celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning classic, the Wizard of Oz, by setting out on an adventure with Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Man as they dance down the Yellow Brick Road to the magical land of Oz. This NAC Orchestra Pops presentation lets you experience this brilliant technicolour movie classic on the big screen live with the NAC Orchestra, conducted by Jack Everly. 

The brilliant music of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg combined with Judy Garland’s iconic Dorothy will have everyone in your family singing along to favourites like We’re off to see the Wizard and Over the Rainbow. Marvel at the whimsically colourful world: from the ghoulishly green Wicked Witch of the West to the glittering Glinda the Good Witch and resplendent ruby red slippers. 

Whether you’re introducing your kids to this beloved classic or reliving your own childhood memories, this production of the Wizard of Oz is not to be missed!

The Wizard of Oz with Live Orchestra is only playing March 28 to 30th, 2019 at the National Arts Centre. Tickets start at $29 - making it affordable fun for the whole family!

For more information or to purchase tickets visit the NAC website.

High Tea at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier

When I think of high tea, I think of the small triangular sandwiches, scones and squares my grandmother would serve my mother and I when I was a child and we would go over to her house for afternoon tea.

My grandmother passed away many years ago and with her went the tradition of afternoon tea in fancy tea cups served with bite-sized delicacies. I longed to recreate those memories with my own daughter, and although I had heard of high tea at the Chateau Laurier, I found myself waiting for the perfect excuse to indulge in the experience.

Every afternoon, High Tea (also known as Afternoon Tea) is served at Zoe’s Lounge, located in the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Zoe’s recently underwent a beautiful renovation maintaining its unique architectural element, including the gorgeous chandeliers, antique crown moldings and impressive marble bar. The lounge is bright, cheerful and the staff are very welcoming.

My daughter was not only impressed by the lounge’s big windows overlooking the street (prime seating if you’re lucky enough to get a seat there), but also by the tall ceilings.

My daughter didn’t know what to expect at High Tea, but was in awe of the three-tiered serving tray filled with scones, desserts and dainty sandwiches. Not a tea lover, she was very impressed with their hot chocolate as well.

Although the menu changes seasonally, the menu generally features unique gourmet pastries, open and closed-faced sandwiches and delicious English scones served with homemade Fairmont Chateau Laurier jam. And of course, there is also a wide variety of tea to choose from. You can view the current menu here.

What I loved about our day was the attention to detail our server gave us. He asked if we were celebrating anything special, which we were - my mom’s birthday. He wished her a happy birthday, which I thought that was very nice, but he then surprised her at the end of our tea by singing “Happy Birthday” and brought her a special birthday plate with extra treats. Needless to say, my mom loved it!

Zoe’s Lounge at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier makes afternoon tea everything I remember it to be and more. Classy, delicious and all about spending time sipping tea (or sparkling wine or champagne - or hot chocolate!) surrounded by those you love. I look forward to recreating the same afternoon again this year for my own birthday.

Hours:  Monday to Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m

Cost:  $52 per person * 62 on holidays and 1:00 pm weekend seatings. Children’s (or little Prince & Princess) tea, $28.  Reserve at least 24 hours ahead (sooner during the summer and holidays).  613-241-1414.

Kid Friendly? Absolutely! Their menu even has a kid’s section, but they can easily just pick off your tray depending how hungry you are.

Location: 1 Rideau Street, inside the Château Laurier

Tubing at Mount Pakenham

KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel.  During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During the winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.  

One of my favourite activities as a kid was to go sliding down our local hill. Growing up in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, the hill was more like a bump compared to Ottawa standards but I still a great time. When I saw Mount Pakenham had tubing along with downhill skiing, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to introduce our son, David and my wife, Sandy to the activity.  

We set out to Pakenham on the Sunday of Family Day weekend. The weather (for once) was perfect for outdoor sports. Arriving at the mountain, the first thing that struck us was the beauty of the place. Set in the Ottawa Valley, Pakenham has a family feel that might be lost at larger, more expensive ski resorts. As previously mentioned, being from Saskatchewan, downhill skiing is not my go-to winter sport so we opted for the tubing and snowshoeing option.  

We headed over to the tubing hill and picked up our inner tubes. There was not a lift taking us to the top of the hill but it was not an overly long walk and the pathway was well-maintained. Once we reached the top of the hill there were two possible runs open. David enthusiastically hopped in his inner tube and asked the staff attendant to give him the full spin option. We watched David speed down the hill with a smile on his face for the entire ride. Sandy and I romantically rode together holding each other’s inner tubes. We opted for the gentler push which still provided an exciting ride.

For the next go-around, David wanted to take a ride with me. On our climb to the top, he proposed doing the maximum spin-o-rama. By the time we reached the top of the hill, I was able to negotiate him down to the mild spin. Whatever way, we had a lot of fun. We took another three or four trips down the hill and had a blast.

Once done with tubing, we were able to borrow snowshoes and check out the trails. We took a scenic walk through the forest and were able to take short diversions off-trail because of our snowshoes.  

After about a half hour exploring, we had worked up an appetite and headed back to the main lodge area. We opted for the cafeteria inside the lodge which offered comfort food like soup and sandwich, poutine and hamburgers. They also had lighter fare including salads. We enjoyed our meal in the convivial company of fellow tubers and skiers. The resort also has a lounge and bar that is open to families before a certain time. There was also an outdoor canteen that offered food as well.

We ended our time at the ski resort soaking in the sunshine and admiring the skiers racing down the mountain.

If you have time, the village of Pakenham is worth a stop. The Pakenham General Store was originally built in 1840 and has some of the tastiest cinnamon buns I have ever tasted. It is also worth to check out the five span bridge which was originally constructed in 1903 and is built completely out of stone.

Special thanks to Mount Pakenham for providing David and his family with tubing and snowshoe passes for the purpose of this article; all views are his own.

Healthy Banana Bread and Muffins!

There’s no better way to use those wrinkly brown bananas than for a fresh loaf of sweet banana bread. Over the years I’ve perfected this recipe, making healthy substitutes and experimenting with low-sugar options. This recipe is also doubled, so that you can make a dozen muffins and one loaf of bread at the same time - but if you only want muffins OR bread, just halve all the ingredients!

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups of whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground flour from Castor River farm)

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 4 ripe/brown bananas

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup applesauce*

• 1/2 cup canola oil (or melted butter, sunflower oil, coconut oil - note that sunflower or coconut will give the bread a different flavour)

• Extras: throw in 1-2 cups of dark chocolate chips or walnuts, or a mixture of both

Instructions

1) Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, along with your extras (choc chips and walnuts)

2) Throw all wet ingredients in a blender or use another bowl with a mixer, and blend until smooth.

3) Pour wet ingredients into dry, and mix JUST until combined

4) Pour half the batter into a greased loaf pan, and spoon the rest into muffin cups.

5) Bake at 375 degrees C: about 20-25 minutes for muffins, and 50-60 minutes for the loaf.

*if you don't have applesauce you can use 1 cup of oil/butter. The applesauce adds some extra sweetness, as there is not a lot of sugar in this loaf!

Try not to burn your mouth ;)