Can you believe how quickly this year is coming to a close? December is almost here, and our days are getting shorter and shorter. We took this past week off from schooling since ‘Buelita and Grandpa came to visit for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was so good to take a break! They always help to inspire and re-energize me. (And, like many of you, we spent some time taking advantage of the store sales in our area!)
But just because we didn’t have any formal class time doesn’t mean the kids weren’t learning. In fact, one of the reasons that I love it when family comes to visit is the amount of time my children spend showing off how much they have learned and can now accomplish on their own. There is no better audience around here than visiting grandparents!
This whole week, my kids and my parents were inseparable. They spent their days practicing my daughter’s guitar lessons, figuring out math problems, and showing off reading skills. Together they worked on dinosaur puzzles, board games, and even a little bit of needlepoint. They went to the movies (Tangled), went for walks, read books, sang songs, and played outside.
Today when my parents left, my kids sobbed. Their unconditional love is strong and pure, and I am so grateful for the special relationship that each one has with the other.
The way I see it, spending time with family is never a waste of time. Mis niños learn so much from these special visits. Maybe they learn new songs or stories. Or maybe they learn something less tangible, like how people are more important than things and how love is something we all need.
These are the moments that my kids will remember years from now, long after the hours of studying and practicing have faded. These are the moments that my kids already cherish; a precious memory held close to their hearts and locked away in their mind, only to be pulled out and remembered late at night as they lie in bed, snuggled under the covers…
I hope that all of you enjoyed a holiday with familia, forging bonds to last a lifetime.
Con mucho cariño...