Well the first half of 2023 sure did fly by! Mi Families – families kept busy enjoying unique programs for tutoring services, early education opportunities, tot thru teen electives like art and gym, and private field trips … Below are some pics from our winter/spring EDventures AND information about our upcoming summer mini camps! Email Christi@MiFamilies.com for information about our summer mini camps &/or plans for next fall! The 23-24 school year will be here before you know it ~ between now and then join us for some fun in the sun!

More information about activities for the second half of 2023 will be posted soon 🙂

Here is what Mi Families programs looked like fall-winter 2022. Click pics for a better view –

and scroll down for info on what programs will look like during our spring 23′ semester…

February – May 2023 will be a busy one! Click images above for some details …

There are a couple tutoring spots for Mondays still available, Tuesdays we have PE classes for tots – teens, Wednesdays we’ll be offering lil’ learner programs through the HEN co-op, Thursdays will be all sorts of arts and smarts programming for tots – teens, and Fridays there is 1 tutoring spot left open. Most tutoring spaces and classes are full. Email Christi@MiFamilies.com for any information regarding our past, present, or future programs

or visit our programming page here …

…AND CHECK OUT OUR HANDBOOK HERE

As I prepare for the 2022-23 school year I thought I’d write an update …the plan for those asking what classes and programs we’re preparing for.  I think many are preparing for this school year with high hopes that we’re done with the covid-chaos.  Covid isn’t going to disappear, but most have made their personal decisions regarding masks, vaccines, etc – and are ready to move forward.  Forward, into the future, feels unpredictable after the closing and cancelations covid caused, so we move forward with plans based on what if’s.  What if it all goes as planned and we have an amazing year with this present plan? The present plan is to offer tutoring options Mondays, Tuesday mornings is a pre reading/writing/illustration class for little learners, and Tuesday afternoons there will be outdoor ed options for elementary groups and tweens/teens.  Wednesdays we’re prepping for a fun art eXperience for teens at the HEN co-op (Homeschool Enrichment Network).  Thursdays there will be gym classes, self defense / martial arts, arts, and acting.  Friday’s are filling up with field trip options…  (Click to read more about some of the program options below):

So, the present plan is to prepare for these future classes.  Past classes during the last school year included a Rockin-Recorder Band, Self Defense programs, teen Skill builderZ, Gym classes for all ages, early EDventures, art smART, STEM/science studies, Tech Time (computer programing, video editing, 3d printing, robotics, rockets…), iLLUSTRATION and computer graphic arts, D&Drama storytelling … So many amazing classes with some amazing students! We also did a family program of “wandering in the woods”  and offered opportunities for youth sports and playdates and field trips and so much more! Here’s last years “year book” – which is NOT an any particular order since there were too many memorable moments to get through! After you scroll through and see the moments made together – you’ll find contact info to sign up and join in the fun!

If you made is this far you can see why I don’t consider my family or Mi-Students simply “homeschoolers.”  We are world schoolers or life schoolers or whatever else you want to call us.  Join us and discover a lifestyle that fosters a lifetime love for learning.  You can join these upcoming classes and other HEN programs by visiting www.MiHen.org or by emailing Christi@MiFamilies.com

I’m sorry I haven’t posted program updates in a LONG time … The covid-choas kept changing program plans so we thought we’d wait to post updates til’ things calmed down. I’m not sure when that will be though so I’m just gonna post what we have been up to so far this year. Even with the chaos – 2021 has been fun! Here’s some of the pics taken during covid closings / forced family time AND our adventures with homeschool friends / small Mi Families groups.  Scroll to the end to see plans for future Mi Families groups and programs:

winter picnic

snow boarding

sledding party

sk8 class

ice skating 101

snow man building

snow tub challenge

mini hot tub

don’t waste fires during nice weather 😉 make bonfires in winter

watching snow melt

skiing 101

ski races

ice blocks

snow painting

mr snow heads

melting snow = mud monster

mining

best chess set

baking

robotics

books

homeschool

speech therapy = bubbles and hand puppets

b/c I wanted a grilled cheese 😉

use old poster board as a safe painting spot

reward readers

chore challenges

have them make their own games

classic comics

reading with daddy

STEM studies

pizza party

art smart

splash pad

my monkeys

jump start

mine ruins

weather watchers

weather wheel

swamp monsters

live action science class

EDventures: Explore and Experiment

frisbee golf fun

making up games/sports in Fit Fun = art and action class

martial arts / self defense

outdoor ed

art in the park

spring cleaning

veggie garden start up

bird house

bug house

bees and honey

Park Preschool (rock art day)

farm field trip

putt-putt

climbing trees – sideways

lk superior

fishin buddies

canoe adventures

copper harbor, Mi

keweenaw fall tour

berry pickin w/ grandma

fireworks and fires

copper mine

ft Wilkins

Brockway mtn

homeschool summer school

biker gang

rock and shell collecting

lk Michigan

sleeping bear dunes

hot hike

cuyahoga valley national park

Gettysburg

Smithsonian

they saw ALL the DC mall monuments

Vietnam wall…looking for Papa’s friends name

National Aquarium

Liberty bell

Empire st bldg

Ground zero… We saw all 3 memorial sites on this trip: the Towers, Pentagon, and flight93

Liberty sunset cruise

Cedar Point

Lots of fairs and our first amusement park adventure

drive in movie

sand dough

back to school – all about me sheets

Back 2 school photo for these3

my PK kid loves books – especially from Usborne! Want some – I’ll hook you up 🙂

CLICK to see our goal for this fall… It won’t happen as is, b/c of life, but we’re slowly starting to have a schedule again

Need homeschool help? Looking for co-ops? Seeking a tutor? Email Christi@MiFamilies.com

If you made it through all that ~ Congrats 🙂 You win! I’m not sure what you win, but I hope you win a great Back2School season, whether that is in a traditional classroom or homeschool setting.  Need any homeschool help or looking for co-op? Seeking a tutor or developmental services? Email me at Christi@MiFamilies.com

ALSO email me if you’d like updates as Mi Families begins to build up our post covid-crisis classes.  These classes will be covid cautious (some indoors some outside). Most of the fall programs are full, but there are a couple tutor time spaces available and winter programs will be posted around the holidays and start right after new years. 2022 is on the way and so are some great opportunities for education through recreation, hands on and feet in activities, field trips and other EDventures!

In 2020 Mi Families shut down with the rest of the world! We knew we would have to be creative when we re-opened programs to make sure everyone stayed safe and healthy … So the last half of the year was spent outside in small groups!

The first part of this next year is proving tricky to plan because of Michigan’s weather, but my family (& Mi (my) Families) is coming up with some AMAZING new programs for this new year! Take a look through what we were up to the last part of 2020 and at the end of our picture review you’ll find 2021 programs!

Even though the world shut down in 2020 – our family did not.  We continued to find ways to interact with our mi families friends and are looking forward to our 2021 interactions and covid-conscious programs.  Click image below to see schedule in larger format.  the activities highlighted in yellow are groups that you may be able to add your child too… If you have any questions about those programs  – or tutoring etc – email Christi@MiFamilies.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR – we’re so happy to offer new programs … dates and details will be announced soon!

Time to finish up another adventurous summer.  Time to start an adventurous fall!

Our family has outdoor adventures year round and this fall we’ve invited other families to join us.

Mi Families programs will look a little different this fall as most will be outdoors!

Mi Families facilitates programs for families and those who work with families across the state,

but due to covid most programs this year will only be offered in the grater Grand Traverse area.

This year all large group classes will be held outdoors, even some of of our small group and one2one services.

Tutoring and developmental services will have indoor options, which will include mask options.

Masks will not be required outdoors, but social distancing will be encouraged in all programs.

This fall our programs include homeschool consultations for individual families and local groups.

FUNctional FAMilies will be be offered for individual families and local groups as well.

We also are offering a family EDventure program and a tween/teen EDventure program.

There will also be 2 different Park PK+plus programs that are a part of an Early Ed Explorer curriculum.

Fit and Fun curriculums will be a part of a local local coop, as well as a Morning Muscles and Martial Arts group.

Smaller group options are also starting up for a D&D club and STEAM classes.

ALL classes and programs will provide hand sanitizer as well as supplies to do activities from home …

Supplies will be provided if a family wants to participate separately due to germs or weather.

The first week of programming our weather was perfect and it looks like another perfect week for adventures.

If you are participating in programs this week please bring water bottles!

You might also want to bring sun screen, bug spray, and changes of clothes depending on activities.

You might also want to bring your phone to take pictures and for safety…

This week we’ll be talking about safety in a lot of our classes and focusing on SUPER ME activities.

This is going to be a super school year! Think positively as you start your back-2-school season.

Even if covid has changed your back to school plans think and act positively!

Kids feel our negative and nervous energy.  During transitions try and show excited over anxious energy.

Talk to kids about their feelings during any transitions, especially when heading into unpredictable times.

This school year is an unpredictable time but try and show off excitement as you head into a new semester.

Each semester looks very different at our house but we never stop learning.

Semester and seasonal activities change but we always keep our routine similar for easier transitions.

Instead of stopping one grade and having a summer off of learning and starting school again in fall –

we have a transition day when we finish certain goals and celebrate moving onto next grade levels.

We celebrate and talk about goals and plans and the schedule for the next season.

Our back to school process looks different than others, but we’re going back to school too!

Our school year looks different than past years, but we’re still learning and still having fun adventures!

Want to join us for adventures? Email Christi@MiFamilies.com or visit www.MiFamilies.com for more info

Back to school season is looking very different this year. Even those who are planning to do the same school plan as years past will have to deal with changes.  Those planning to go back to traditional schools will have to adapt to changes schools are making in attempts to keep students and staff – safe and healthy. Those planning to go back to their homeschooling plans will find their  CoOps are changing and curriculums and supplies are sold out because of all the new homeschoolers this year.

I hope you feel you made the best decision for your family, whether or not you choose to homeschool or send your kids to a school building. I hope your family is able to adapt and find supports if the covid chaos continues to change school plans. Supports help us go from surviving to thriving. If you are planning to homeschool take time to look up local groups/programs to help your family thrive.  Even if you have homeschooled forever there are new options popping up around the world for homeschoolers to utilize!

new homeschool option

Homeschooling options include different style curriculums, co-ops, and supportive resources.  Some resources are supports through your local school district.  Some schools are offering virtual curriculums for easier transitions in and out and back in to their classrooms.  Some families prefer no school supports and unschool their children – which can be as extreme as that term sounds with no schooling or just meaning a flexible schooling approach guided by children’s interests.  Before jumping into the homeschool plan take time to look up different types of homeschool approaches and decide what will work best for your family.

Where does your family learn best?

What works best for your family during the covid crisis might not be what worked before or what will work after.  What works best for your family might not be what will work for others.  What works best for each family and each child depends on a lot of factors.  While looking into what homeschool approach will work for your family and your children consider factors such as if your family can afford a parent to stay home and focus on being the children’s teacher or if you’ll need to work requiring a non traditional school/work schedule. Maybe hiring a tutoring-nanny would work best. Does your child have any special needs that require specialized tutoring or therapeutic services? Is your child old enough and mature enough to stay home and work independently? Does your child work and learn best on their own or in a group? Does your child learn and focus better with music or in a bouncy chair or using hands on materials or through an online program? There is so much to consider it can be overwhelming!

learning online / visually

learning by listening in a sensory safe place

learning by doing – hands on approach

Try to not get overwhelmed.  Try to have a family meeting to consider the schooling plan and talk through what would make a plan like homeschooling work.  Even if you plan to send your kids to school consider how you’ll make homeschooling work should the world close down again.  If you homeschool for any reason learn the laws in your state to help you decide if you’ll truly homeschool or do school from home.  Homeschool is more flexible and can utilize unschooling methods or explore different curriculums.  School from home is using a set curriculum, often online and provided from a school which may require you to log on at certain times or document hours spent working.

My family works somewhere in the middle with our flexible curriculum schedule. My kids work best when they have a schedule to know what to expect when, but they also need to learn that sometimes schedules change and even though the plan says it’s math time we might go pick apples instead that day.  Learning flexibility is important, and so is learning that you can learn and do “school” anywhere! Picking apples or going on field trips can be a part of the learning process.  If you need ideas how to teach on the go or what curriculums are out there or just want more information on the homeschool processes feel free to email me at Christi@MiFamilies.com.

Mi Families provides consultations, individualized developmental services, tutoring and classes for homeschooling families, as well as programs for families that don’t homeschool … You can learn more about our programs by visiting www.MiFamilies.com or by liking our Facebook page.  We’ll be adding program updates soon about our fall programs including a park preschool, Early Ed Explorers, Fit and Fun, Family EDventures, and tween/teen programs such as outdoor ed, morning muscles & martial arts, D&Drama and more! CLICK IMAGES BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS.  SIGN UPS START NEXT WEEK AND HAVE LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE.

Sorry this blog wasn’t updated this past spring … I blame the covid crisis! All our spring and summer programs were canceled so we stuck to family fun at home most of the time, but found lots of safe ways to visit extended family and friends outdoors throughout the summer. Here are some pics of our “lock down life” which has been peaceful!

As summer comes to an end we’re planning our FALL 202o programs with hopes there are no covid cancellations this semester. In the event things do close back down ALL PROGRAMS will have online lessons to follow at home and supplies will be provided for families to continue their education-through-recreation adventures separately, but together! All in person programs will be limited to a dozen participants, but more people may sign up with understanding they will only get the online experience, unless someone drops the program opening a spot.  Spots this fall will go towards those who pay first for services. Services will include many fun take home items for each class families signed up for.  Classes to sign up for include an ED-venture (education through adventures) hiking program for families and coop program for tweens and teens.  Tweens and elementary explorers are invited to sign up for Fit&Fun through our coop, and kids ages 2-grade 2 can join us for “Park Pk + PLUS” at 2 different locations.  PLEASE CLICK IMAGES BELOW FOR CLASS DESCRIPTIONS!

There will also be smaller group activities available at our homebase: such as music, language/literature, social studies, art, science … as well as one-on-one tutor time core subjects and developmental service options.  If you have any questions regarding programs, payments, schedules etc please emailChristi@MiFamilies.com

This schedule is TENTATIVE as we finalize fall plans, but a realistic goal of what to expect from Mi School options.

CLICK IMAGES FOR LARGER PRINT DETAILS on schedule and individualized services.