5 Things I adore about home schooling

1.) Children's behavior. Are the kids good every day? Is that even something someone would *honestly* ask? Of course not. But since we started this journey the behavior has come full circle. Issues I was beginning to worry about a year ago are just gone. There's a bit more them against me happening... but when you only have 2 children it seems a logical ending. And I don't mind. I'm the adult here.

2.) Studying what they want to know when they want to know it. It's much more relevant when you can ask a question and pause long enough to find an answer instead of my past answer of "Oh! Write that down and let's check tonight after school/work/soccer etc." You want to know how to make a kite? Try it first, figure out what doesn't work and then lets look it up together.

Earlier this week Fi appeared asking to use chemicals to try to make something. I put her outside with the least toxic things I could think of that are still "chemical like" and added a few I knew would create response. Vinegar and baking soda made it into the list along with a few others that made no sense like dish soap and rubbing alcohol. I let them play a while and then we made a weak form of elephants toothpaste.

Oh yeast, peroxide and soap. You never disappoint. 

3.) Sleeping in. Remember when your kids were small and active and into everything (most kids around age 2) and by the end of the day you wanted to pass out... sometimes somewhere far far away? My kids wear me out like that. I wear them out too. Some days we make art and read and play instruments and have what I call an intense day. They wear me out. Or sometimes we just have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong and someone gets frustrated early in the day and wears it the rest of the day and that night we all need to sleep like the dead. Sometimes we all need to sleep like the dead past our 6:30 wake up when we take daddy to work. And sometimes we do. And the following day is a little slower and quieter and less intense. And it's all ok. I love that. 

4.) Religion my way. Touchy, but true. I'm picky about who I let speak to my children about issues regarding faith and religion. Once several years ago my daughter told my husband and I that an idea we discuss regularly in our home was a lie from Satan. We looked at each other shocked, looked at our girl and finally said, "Well hon, some people do believe that but our family doesn't view it as a threat to our beliefs." to which she replied, "They said you might say that." I think I honestly gasped. They? Seriously? They?!? I want to be their "they"! It's *my* job as mom! I can't wait to hear, "Well yeah, but I don't know. My mom says..." Or at least hear about it being said. I want to be the authority figure just one step down from God for at least a few more years. Not so I can make their lives miserable and lonely but so that even after I'm gone they can take joy in the moments we shared and the wisdom I hope I can impart.   

5.)We stopped missing out on life. Recent budget cuts in our previous state meant that my children went on no field trips some years. Other years a field trip consisted of visiting a local pumpkin patch in the fall. There's so much to learn by being out in the world and being expected to act like a decent person instead of filling your spot in some sort of local hierarchy. It's the difference between being told to say "please" and "thank you" and being given the opportunity to do so. I love that the kids got to see Warhol in Nashville and spend so much time at the local library that the children's librarian no long has to ask for our cards. We are discussing the changing leaves and enjoying the season during our daily recess times. Life is happening right now all around us and we don't have to miss it.

Like this crazy lighting earlier. Seeing this out my kitchen window how could I keep from taking a photo?