Please Mark Your Calendars

(for some odd reason I found myself saying the title, as I typed, as if I were that famous wrestling announcer saying "Now, let's get ready to rumble!" Is this a Freudian thing representing the choreographed bloody mayhem I expect to ensue when we get all our kids together in the church gym? Yikes!)

Please get on your calendars for every month between now and May the bi-monthly Vintage Homeschool Gym Morning! (Still need catchier names for these events--anyone?)

Second Monday morning of every month, from 10-11: Monday Morning Music!
--each time we will do different activities having to do with music, rhythm, dance, etc. I do not expect we will take more than an hour, but the gym will be reserved until 1:00 if any moms want to hang out and let the kids play afterwards.

Fourth Monday morning of every month, from 10-1: Old School Mondays!
--spelling bee
--snack/lunch time
--get-em-movin' game
--recitations
--group sharing
--mini-lesson/craft
(not in that order)

Huzzah! I will get this rolling, but will greatly appreciate any moms who want to come forth and take over even just one aspect of one month's gathering. For example, maybe you are studying snakes with your kids at home, and find a great, no-fuss snake project that you think would be great for a range of kids to do--you can volunteer to host the mini-lesson/craft for one morning. Or maybe you know how to play an instrument and would like to lead a sing-along for the kids on a music Monday morning--great! I am particularly hoping some moms feel like hosting the get-em-movin' game some mornings, since I can come up with great ideas, but after leading the whole morning, will probably not have the energy to lead. I will do so, though! Just letting you all know in advance the areas where I will be weakest and where your involvement will be most appreciated. Oh, and sweeping the floor after we are done would be something else we could share doing. It is all up for grabs, and the more moms who host the more fun for everyone!

Ok, let's see what else you need to know for Old School Mondays:
--Bring lunch/snack for your own child.
--Have your kids wear comfy clothes and shoes they can run in
--Please be present with your child the entire time, unless you make specific arrangements with one of the moms present to be responsible for your child for you. And please be prepared to help your child with the activities throughout the day, esp. the craft--the volunteer moms will not be able to help everyone!
--The hosting mom (most likely me) is not a teacher, per se, and will NOT be disciplining your children, so please intervene if your child is not all that interested in what we are doing and is distracting others
--We will all do the activities together at the same time. So if Johnny does not want to participate in one part, that is fine, but he should be sitting quietly with his mommy and not running around.
--Please bring friends! (As long as you will be responsible for the extra kids you bring, or bring their mommy too)
--Come when you want, leave when you want--we will have fun with whomever shows up. : )
--Our lessons, recitations, etc. may have Christian content! Esp. feel free to use the recitation time for your child to share a Bible verse he/she has learned.
(Any more guidelines we should have? Please suggest them in the comments!)

Pretty much the same guidelines for Monday Morning Music (Morning Music Mondays?), esp. those about moms being present, about keeping your own child involved and not distracting others, and about Christian content. I can't wait to teach your kids our ABC version that spells out the Gospel! : )

SO, our first Old School Monday will be Feb. 23. Our first MMM will NOT be this month--we will start this whole adventure off with the Valentine's party on the 13th, so see the previous posting for that. Our first MMM will be Mar 23.

So excited! Please give me comments so I know you read this post!