Monday, January 21, 2008

Slumber Party Survival and mommy musings

I finally broke down and allowed my two boys to have a birthday party. Their birthdays are both the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve. I've never let them have a children's party because everyone is so busy and tired of celebrating that week, including me. Friday night I let them have a joint party, limiting the number of guests to 6. Eight boys for an extended time period in zero degree weather was plenty! The kids were great and everyone had a good time.

I was surprised at how well-behaved all the kids were. The boys were up until 3:00 am and then got up for the day at 6:00 am. No one was cranky or irritable! Around 9:30am all the boys went outside and played with the soft-pellet guns. Our yard is covered with various colored pellets. A friend of my daughter asked why our yard was full of tiny marbles.

My sons have very different personalities, but share most of the same friends. One of the things that I love about homeschooling is that my children have developed their own interests and personalities. My younger son would be a far different child if he attended school and was forced to be like all the other boys. J is very content doing things on his own. He enjoys being with other kids and is well liked, but he also has a number of hobbies that he enjoys in solitude. My older son S is happiest with lots of social interaction. He is extremely active and will work on skateboard tricks for hours at a time. He is a kid-magnet. During non-school hours, our home/yard is full of all the neighborhood children. They all come to the door asking if S can play.
How wonderful that our kids get the opportunity to be loved and accepted for who they are without the pressures of conforming with their peers!

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