An Evening With Friends.

Last night I hosted a curriculum swap of sorts. I invited moms from our co-op over to my home in order to share the curriculum we use and ideas we have for homeschooling. The evening was fabulous and we all got to preview each other's materials. This was great, since many of them had books I've been wanting to purchase, but was unsure of the content.

Thanks to all the great resources I saw, I am once again revamping my first grade curriculum. I am mostly making a change in our religion and introducing new art materials. It's amazing how much you can learn from others' experiences! I love hearing what has worked for others and what has not. Being Catholic, it's important to me not to present material that might raise red flags in my beliefs. This group of ladies offered so many insights that I came away rejuvinated and refreshed!

And although I know that all children mature their own academic abilities at different rates, I still love seeing what other homeschooling kids are doing. My friend, Katie, had samples of her son's art and I was so impressed with his work that I decided to give that art program another try. Sometimes all those reviews you read about just don't cut it. Sometimes seeing what other children are able to accomplish and hold their work in your hands is the only way to really evaluate what your own kids might be able to do.

So thanks to all my friends who came over and brought their materials to share! I am forever grateful and blessed to have these women in my life. Inspiration often comes from the everyday people in your life who do everyday things.