school at home
These days I try not to talk about "homeschooling"... more "home learning" or "home education". Because, truth be told, whether from ideology or from lack of organization we don't always do that much schooling around here. Historically our more traditional educational time has been concentrated around the first couple weeks of September, then we lose focus. This year we're laying the groundwork for a little more deliberate practice, while at the same time not trying to come out of the gates too fast. In one area, though, it feels a lot like school here—and that's the noise at the lunch table.
I don't know if you've ever experienced lunch in an elementary school cafeteria, but it's really something. Those kids are loud. And we've got three elementary school kids living in our house right now—for this year only!—so they're doing their best to approximate the environment. And not just at lunchtime either... I get them for three meals a day! Besides the volume I also get to enjoy all the repetition and deliberate stupidity of the best of elementary school humor. So fun!
In their defense, they're also capable of quite sophisticated humor, as well as lots of hard work and generally pleasant company. Except not always at mealtimes.