Year end

Thursday was the year end event hosted by our local homeschooling group T.E.A.C.H. It's a great way to finish off the school year.

The first part consisted of a variety/talent show and I've always felt this part offers benefits on many levels. Most obvious, it allows each child opportunity to be up in front of a group. It also allows each one to perform or demonstrate something of particular interest to him or her. In addition to that, it showcases many different available activities to take part in...many of which may never have been thought of. It's great too too to sit back, watch the children perform/demonstrate and to see their beaming smile when they are done.

Tyler, Brittney and Jake performed their piano recital pieces, so there wasn't any extra preparation we needed to do (other than practice).

Jake always has trouble understanding why he can't be on stage for much longer.

"What do you mean, I can only perform one song?"

while Tyler is the opposite..."Do I *have* to play?"

We attempted to address this issue in a different way this year --- Jake was able to perform twice (once in a duet with Brittney and once on his own), Brittney in two duets and Tyler in one duet....all the while still only taking up three spots. (Last year, Jake took matters into his own hands....he was limited to one song...but once up on stage, he just played his song over and over. That all too familiar feeling of panic I get in the pit of my stomach whenever he gets up in front of people was starting to surface. I had just leaned over to Larry and mentioned *somebody* was going to have to go up and get him off, when thankfully, he stopped on his own accord. I don't think most people even noticed...as it was a short piece of music. Even though he'd gone through it 3 or 4 times, it didn't seem that long. Most people said they didn't know......but *we* knew.)

After the talent part of the evening, Certificates of Graduation were handed out. Initially, Tyler wasn't sure if he wanted to take part in this as he would be the oldest (not that he is oldest in the group...just the oldest one who was taking part). After seeing Jake and Brittney getting so excited about the evening though, he had a change of heart....which we were glad of. Somebody has to be the oldest...right?

Next participation ribbons and prizes were handed out for the various contests held over the year. Food followed while a slide show was presented. Each family had sent in a few pictures and one family put them together (set it to music and added captions. It was really well done and the captions they came up with were great!)

The end of the evening was for socializing and checking out the work table. Anyone who wanted to display items/work they'd done over the year (ie projects, art work, stories etc.) could do so. Many talents covered by the kids in our group.

All in all, it was a great evening. (I do find evening events quite taxing -- not so much then but find I pay for it the next day or so. I've (begrudgingly) had to stop taking part in most of the evening events I'd like to do for me, but do my best to attend events for the kids. It's all a matter of pacing myself.)