It Takes a Village...

It takes a village to raise a child I believe. Children are not shaped by their parents alone, but by the community they are a part of. Peers, adult mentors, homeschool facilitators, and many others all play a part in raising and impacting the lives of the young people in their midst.

This afternoon, I witnessed the beauty of my son's homeschool community come together to celebrate the time spent together during the course of this last year before breaking for summer.

Word gifts were exchanged amongst the young people, showing care for one another by writing words of appreciation to each other. My son spent many hours spelling out exactly what he loved about each of his friends that he had spent the last year with, 40 letters in all!

The beautiful lawn in front of the barn was spread with blankets and lawn chairs as each family enjoyed a picnic lunch together.

The young people graduating and going off into the world to take on new challenges were celebrated as the community as a whole sent them off. Tomorrow night they will have a more intimate special celebration in their honor.

People of all ages comprise our community and all are celebrated. Babies, young people, parents, and grandparents. It was so much fun to spend the afternoon discussing the year gone by and what was being planned for the summer.

Home grown music and talent were featured and enjoyed and people from age five to eighteen to adult performed.

A multiple intelligences display was set up inside the barn featuring many different projects worked on by young people this year. Pottery, chess boards, research projects, sculptures etc... were all arranged neatly on tables and viewed.

I feel a huge sense of gratitude to be a part of this homeschool community. To know that not only is my son benefiting from being raised by this village, but that I am benefiting from being a part of it as well.