Schooling

Just to keep everyone informed, we will be home schooling this year.

I know we'll have a lot of feedback on this just as we have for any parenting choice we've made. But we've really thought about it (for over a year now) and talked and it's come up again and again.

I really had a hard time with it. I'm the product of pubic education. My parents both worked in school systems and worked hard to make the world a better place through the positions they held.

But once I stopped coming up with reason I might fail and just let it all go everything fell into place. All the worry and frustration was replaced with peace. Peace about our decision and a new understanding of how this could really work for our family and our situation at this point in our lives.

I truly believe this is what is best for our family at this moment in time.

And with that said, we're moving forward. I ordered curriculum from a supplier who has books that meet national standards. I've sat the kids down and explained our schedule for the next few months (we'll start and keep the same schedule as the local schools) and now we're gathering our supplies for the sun-room which will become our classroom.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Scared to death is more like it. But I have to have faith and trust that I'm making the right decision. So much about parenting is trial and error. Our planned trial period is one year. At the end of that year we'll see how the kids are doing, how I'm doing and if they're truly learning from me and can pass a WI state test. (Which, btw, is much harder than TN state test/curriculum.)

I've always believed all parents are schooling at home if they're attempting parenting at all. Today while we picked raspberries we discussed parasitic and mutual symbiotic relationships. It all started with a question. "Hey kids, why do you think the mosquitoes live in the raspberry plants?"

So this year starts with a huge question. Can I really do this?

Well, only one way to find out.