This is the anti-Pinterest perfect blog. It you simply read a few paragraphs about Shakespeare and plop the kids down to watch Gnomeo and Juliet, I think there's value in it. If you get busy and Antarctica week turns out to be watching a few clips of penguins on YouTube, that's better than nothing! Never let perfect be the enemy of good.

This isn't homeschooling. I know your kids are busy. I know you're busy. I know finding time to read all of these books seems laughable to some of you but I promise, it isn't. (Also, some of the books will definitely not get read). You don't need huge swaths of time to pick a theme for the week and explore it, even just a little bit. So many of these books that I'm recommending have short chapters that you could start and finish in five minutes. Do you have a few minutes before the kids head upstairs to brush teeth? Grab one of the picture books. Are you finished eating but your kids still have plate-fulls of food? See if you can survive a You Choose book.

The goal of all this is to foster a love of learning, not to remember every little thing we learn. I care a whole lot more that my girls think non-fiction books are a cool and normal part of life than whether or not they can recite important historical dates. They don't have to be paying perfect attention all the time or always do the activity I had planned. One of my girls prefers Ninja Turtle coloring sheets to any of my on-theme ones and that's okay. (And psst, they'll actually retain a whole lot more than you think they will.)

If a topic isn't working, move on; no one cares. Even if you all those books go back to the library untouched. Even if that super cute craft idea never lives to see the light of the kitchen table. If you or your kids aren't into it, scrap it and pick something else. I promise I won't judge you if it turns out no one in your household cares about insects or the Ming Dynasty or Picasso or whatever.

Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes a book you thought would be good isn't. Sometimes a book is above or below the level you hoped. Sometimes you just get bored of a topic, scrap it, and pick something new. No one gets points for finishing any one book or any one weekly theme. So don't stress. The whole point of this project is to encourage a love a learning, not force people to finish books.

If it were up to me, this curriculum would look a bit different; it's possible I would have skipped Dinosaur Week all together and I certainly would have never cared about a Bug Week. I've learned the key to longevity and success is balancing your kids' interests with your own. You'll fail if you are forcing topics that either you find boring or your kids find boring. Balance is crucial.