We got our The Good and The Beautiful curricula yesterday and started the handwriting portion today. I’m doing their language arts with my younger three this summer and into the year. Finnella is only three and this is totally NOT necessary; she just doesn’t want to be left out of anything and insists on doing whatever everyone else is doing.
I’ve not used a handwriting curriculum before, but I think sometimes it’s necessary. Younger son decided he wanted to keep writing until he got tired…or more likely he wanted to beat his brother by getting a few lessons ahead of him. Nevertheless I appreciated the simplicity of the lessons. Practice one perfect letter, instead of doing it over and over. My boys need extra help slowing down and paying attention, and with fine motor skills, so I think this will be a good fit for us.
My older girls are going to be in Challenge B and A this fall and that is plenty for them to focus on. They are working on math (and music) this summer just to keep them in the habit of doing something schoolish every day. Right now I’m listening to the cello and in the pauses, the ukulele. My oldest son will be starting Essentials of the English Language in our Classical Conversations community for the first time (it’s a three year wonderfully repetitive program).
The boys continue with their Barton Method Tutoring twice weekly throughout the summer. We do our Together Time Books (when I read aloud to all of the kids, from nonfiction and fictional selections) semi-regularly.
Obviously, we school all year round, but not every day. We are casual about it, while at the same time we are gently structured. Life doesn’t take an artificial summer break, so we don’t either. We find plenty of time for lazing in the hammock or going swimming, camping and all the summer fun.