Homeschooler Savvy

Australian Cultural Education - Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a national holiday in Britian, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and some other former British Colonies.  "What IS she talking about?" you ask.  Infact this is an opportunity to engage in some geography-history-social science learning with your kids!

Boxing Day is December 26th.  It is supposed to have originated in the nineteenth century under Queen Victoria, as a holiday for the wealthy to give gifts to their servants, or trades people.  The gifts were given in boxes, hence the name for the day.  Also related was the tradition of the churches opening their alms boxes which had been filled during the Christmas season.  The proceeds were distributed the day after Christmas.  It also happens to be St Stephen's day - the first maytar of the Christian church.

What is it now?  In Australia, Boxing Day is when the Boxing Day Cricket Test Match begins at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) against some other cricket playing nation (this year it's India).  About 70,000 will be there at the grounds to watch it.  The one game goes for five days.  Millions will watch it at some point during the Test Match (television is commonly left on over the four days after Christmas for this reason).  Go check out the Cricket Australia site here. Better still, a live update on the scores from the Test Match.  Photo: Sebastian Cosanzo.

The other BIGGIE for Boxing Day - the start of the Sydney to Hobart sailing boat race.  This is the OTHER reason the television is left on for days after Christmas.  This boat race can be treacherous, several boats and sailors have been lost due to rough summer storms which can happen.  You can check out the Yacht tracker here, as well as the various Yacht cams, Google Earth feed, Live Streaming Radio commentry........

A five day game of cricket not your cup of tea?  A one week boat race not your cup of tea?  OK, perhaps extra time on the beach - it is SUMMER down there after all.  Any self respecting person knows Christmas is meant to be hot...."I'm dreaming of a HOT Christmas....".  "Slip, Slop, Slap"  "Slip on a hat, Slop on a shirt, Slap on some sun cream."  See the zinc sunscreen painted on the face of Michael Hussey (the Cricketer) up above.  This is considered quite a cool look since all the athletes in Australia decorate themselves like this for sun protection. 

Boxing Day (After Christmas) sales also begin Dec 26th - another form of painful marathon.

Want to create your own Boxing Day tradition?  Why not gather up all the toys that your children no longer want or the clothes they have outgrown and donate them to the charity of your choice on Boxing Day?

Aussie Kim

New Homeschooler Q & A: Part 7 - Involving other family members in homeschooling

7. How can I involve my husband and my mom in the homeschooling process? I don't have to do it alone, right?

ABSOLUTELY, if it is humanly possible do not attempt to homeschool totally alone!  Remember though, that kids do like routine (even if I don’t!) so when someone else takes over, it helps if the routine stays sort of the same.

I get my husband to read as much of the read aloud books as possible, he does it in the evenings with one kid either side of him in bed.  They love it.  Every now and then, if he's home during the day (which happens with farming work), he will homeschool and I will tend to other things (run away...run away....).

To make it easier for those angels helping you, write out a list of what schooling needs to be done and, if possible, let them sit with you while you are teaching, so they can see how it works (and doesn't work).  Then book yourself a massage, facial, and shopping day – and leave him/her to teach for a day. 

WARNING: Your spouse/mother/friend is NOT you. The kids WILL be taught differently - but I think this is a good thing.  DO NOT COMPLAIN if it is not done EXACTLY as you do it, just fix it up later.  DO NOT COMPLAIN if ALL the school work you normally complete in a day is not finished, just be grateful that the kids did some of what they needed to.  A good thing to remember is how good it felt to go off by yourself for that day, without the kids.

If you are in a place where parents/spouses cannot school during the work week, why not take Mondays off from school and have those people school the kids on Saturday? 

If you are in a place where you are new to the community and your normal support group is a long way away (eg you move from Australia to the US), join a homeschool group, make friends of other homeschoolers, and offer to take their kids for one day every 6 months (or less!).

Good Luck with it all, and remember, try NOT to do this alone, there is help out there!

Aussie Kim