When we started this homeschool experiment, I had a pretty good idea of how I wanted to approach learning.

I think I swore up and down that I wouldn’t be sitting at a table doling out lessons, but I also had a voracious appetite for inspiration and validation.

With only one other child, who was a year old, I enthusiastically followed my 4-year-old son’s every whim, with field trips and stacks of books from the library.

After a year, I began to feel a little overwhelmed. There were a lot of hours in the day, and my son’s interests seemed to change faster than I could switch out the library books.

So I ordered a few curriculum materials.

I was drawn to Waldorf for its gentle, delayed approach to academics, and its story- and arts-based foundation.

The plan was to use this very loosely, as a means of inspiration for those times when we needed a bit of guidance — or just something to do.

Around the same time, I met some wonderful homeschooing mamas who used a different Waldorf curriculum. As I listened to them talk about it, I thought, “that sounds better than mine,” and before I knew it I had that on my shelf too.

Funny thing about these guides though — once I started reading them, I quickly slipped into the mind state of needing to complete the program to a T.

We spent a couple of years happily learning letters, interpreting stories with crayon drawings, and meeting a family of squirrels who stored up their winter provisions using the four processes of math. All good stuff.

But into grade two, the cycle of story, artistic output and finally academic practice became tedious and the tears began to flow.

I was letting the curriculum, bought to ease the overwhelm, turn learning into the struggle I was trying to avoid by homeschooling in the first place!

Along the way, that second baby grew, and another was welcomed into the fold. Life got busy and the things I started out homeschooling with as priorities began to take a back seat to getting through these weekly lessons: things like reading aloud well-written books everyday, actively exploring their interests with them, spending a lot of time together in nature, and welcoming them in the daily running of the house.

Then one day, while trying to keep his attention on a lackluster story illustrating different resources, my son dropped a bomb on me:

“Mom, I don’t like learning through these stories. If you want me to learn something, I wish you would just get to the point.”

Oh. Excuse me for a moment while the entire framework of how I wish to educate you shatters around me and I regroup.

It makes sense –he is a fact loving kid, preferring stacks of non-fiction to my own inclination towards stories, and this is about him, right?

And so, while offending my own alternative education sensibilities, I bought a couple of workbooks, and made a deal: We can toss the curriculum for a while if you are willing to practice your skills in these books on a regular basis.

His face lit up, “Thanks Mom!”

I never thought I’d see my child excited over a workbook, but that just goes to show, we may have the best of intentions and a beautiful vision, but that doesn’t mean it will work for our children.

I had intended to follow those lessons to the end of the program, clutching on to the comfort of control they gave me. Instead, we are getting back to what inspired our homeschooling days at the start.

It has not been easy for me to let go of the hows, whens and shoulds of educating, to trust that my child’s own innate desire to learn will lead him to practice those basic skills I want him to master, but it is happening!

I see it when I slow down and engage with him in his interests, even when robots and Legos and science don’t interest me.

I have had to take a different approach to my checklist, watching closely for moments when instruction is meaningful. When it truly is, I see him happily learning in leaps and bounds.

I am reminding myself constantly that the relationship I have with my children is more important than staying on a prescribed path of learning.

We have a long stretch ahead of us, and I’m realizing its important to stay open to the many different paths that will get us “there” in the end.

These days we are all exhaling with relief.

We are finally finding that sweet spot of inspired learning that satisfies both kid and parent goals, with the curriculum books relegated to their original purpose: as one ingredient in the stew of their education.

One of my favorite perks of homeschooling is the flexibility to travel unconstrained by the school calendar. No matter the season, there is always the possibility of adventure on the horizon, and we can all use a break from time to time.

So pack your bags! We are heading out the door.

But where to go?

We can’t always jump on a plane headed for the far corners of the earth, but there are still plenty of opportunities for adventure when you think small:

•    Do you live in, or close to, a city with a public transit system? Be a tourist in your home town! Grab a family day pass and transit map, and hop on train, bus, or streetcar, stopping wherever it tickles your kids fancy. Learning potential abounds; kids get to know the nooks and crannies of their city, they learn how to navigate with a simple map, and it’s a great way to sneak in important travel safety, like what to do if you become separated from your group.

•    Take your exploring further by making a family mission; “Today”, or “This week, we are going to find the BEST sushi/tacos/doughnuts!” or, “The BIGGEST tree/bridge/pool”. For extra homeschool points, you can document your findings with graphs, or make mock reviews composed for print or video.

•    Set your kids loose in the wildest part of your local park, ravine, or trail, with a simple nature treasure hunt/I spy list. Load it with seasonal plants, animals and birds they are likely to see. You can up the ante by disguising the items in riddles. Throw in a couple field guides, blank notebooks and coloured pencils, and you’ve got a great natural science/art class.

If exploring your own town isn’t doing it for you, think a little bigger:

•    Road trip! Strap them in with some car bingo and audio books and get out of dodge. For a successful, sanity preserving adventure, try to keep travel time to 3-5 hrs. The destination can be completely arbitrary; think any hotel/motel with a pool, or a simple cabin, and spend a few days playing crazy eights, swimming and exploring.

Remember, the destination does not have to be flashy. We have driven to a world renowned city to visit family, expecting to take in all sorts of culture, architecture and delicious food, and all our kids wanted to do was go to the local playground and eat pizza in our hotel room.

•    Make this adventure extra fun and travel by rail instead. The freedom of movement, and the novelty of railroading is sure to be hit with kids and parents alike.

Last but not least, don’t be afraid to think Big:

My husband and I catch the ‘travel bug’ fairly regularly. I’ll admit, with three young boys-one of whom is a toddler–I am always a bit apprehensive when planing a bigger trip. Will it be worth all the organizing and corralling? Not to mention the money?

Well, I am grateful that my partner is the eternal optimist, because we never regret taking the plunge. You can do this, and it will be worth it. If you need extra encouragement, check out Sarah’s post- My Biggest Homeschooling Mistake: Not Traveling More.

Here’s what we do to keep everyone happy on big trips:

•    Plan destinations around modest flight times and seat sales. In this season of my family’s life, we are going for manageable. For us, this usually involves a beach, and we love visiting places with vastly different flora and fauna from home.

•    Embrace the underbelly of traveling. Adults want to whip through baggage checks and customs quickly and get on with the fun, but for kids, this is an exciting part of the adventure! Get to the airport extra early, so you don’t feel rushed when the kids want to watch baggage trucks on the runway, or ask a zillion questions about security protocols.

Above all:

•    Keep your expectations in check, and main goals in mind. It can feel like we have to pack our vacations and outings full of attractions and educational opportunities. Try to remember that learning happens everywhere, and the simplest things are often enough.

Sure, my kids loved LegoLand, but they were equally enthralled by eating citrus fruit straight off the trees. While the banana boat was fun, stalking lizards and geckos is what they’re still talking about.

So, of course, plan a few must-dos, but keep a lot of space open for unexpected discoveries, bumps in the road, and time to just be as a family. Because ultimately, that’s the point right?

We may spend enormous amounts of time together as homeschoolers, but when we take out the familiar, we are brought closer together. Our kids may bicker night and day, but on these adventures, they’re thick as thieves.

Happy travels!

Where is summer taking your family this year?