Piano Money

M's piano teacher is in Germany with her family for a 4 month sabbatical.  We told M that she could keep practicing and learn the songs I chose for her from the hymn book.  In return she could use the $50 a month we pay for piano lessons (a great deal) to have other adventures. 

We started planning the adventures a month before the teacher left.  M has always wanted to do cool things like horse riding, rock climbing etc...  Her greatest wish is to do gymnastics.  Fortunately we did do that for the summer when she turned 5.  But it's so expensive...

So far M's piano money has made it possible for M, G, P, and lP to go to Seaworld.  A BOGO ticket + free teacher ticket + free preschooler ticket.  It was great.

M has also been able to do a 6 week Tae Kwon Do experience through the studio that did free classes at the library.  That is also a prohibitively expensive activity but they had a special and knew we were looking for a short term commitment.  Lucky!

M was able to go rock climbing last week for 2 hours through a homeschool group.  She had a blast.

Today I dropped M off for the choir she is joining for the next year.  I'm very excited for her to have that experience.  She's got some friends in the choir.  She also loves to be little miss independent.  When we pulled into the parking lot, I told her that we were going to walk her in.  She insisted she knew where it was and that it would be hard for all 6 of us to go because of the stairs.  So I gave her my phone and let her go.  "Have fun at college!"  I exclaimed as she walked away.  Then as we pulled away I saw that she was hiding in the corner by the door.  As another group of people went by, she joined them.  Ack!  Why does she have to be so brave?  I'm so glad she is.  But sheesh!  She could have come out and let me know she couldn't get in, or whatever reason she was not going in. 

The problem of homeschooling, among many, is that I've never had to let go because I'm always there.