Thoughts of a Homeschool Mommie gone Public ~

Got progress reports last week and just been thinking (and thankful) for how well the kids are doing in school. On our roadtrip last week, Laci says, as she follows our map around the southeast: Mommie, you know, we don't even do geography at school?

Yes, I know. They will get a small glimpse of it some day in high school. That's probably about it.

There's no perfect way to school. I think you do what is best for your family at whatever season of life you happen to be in. Not all children are from the same mold, so therefore different things work for different children.

We've had a bumpy road to travel this year, so it was a huge decision for me to put my kids in school. It turns out to be the best thing I could have done. They love it so much! The whole experience. They like buying their lunch in the cafeteria, riding the bus, playing on the playground, and seeing their friends each day. They're doing wonderfully academically. They are involved in great activities that keep their active bodies moving.

It turns out the little bit of independence this gives my son changes his attitude greatly. Okay, not perfectly, but we'll take any little bit we can get. They say he is an angel at school. (Are we talking about the same person?) I say. But I'm glad.

The most wonderful thing about homeschooling is YOU get to pick the curriculum you want for your child. And there are literally thousands of them. But to me (and I've told you this before), there is nothing greater than a Classical education. A year ago my children could sing a cute little song and name every president in their timeline order, do oral presentations every week in front of their classmates; they learned every river in the nation, every major mountain in the world, every sea, every continent, EVERYTHING! The academics could do circles around what they're doing now. But homeschool is not for every family. Nor every child in a family.

There's no perfect way to school. But for me, the perfect schooling opportunity would be a Classical school 2 miles from our home. But it's not to be so. And I am happy in our little small community with loving teachers that you catch saying their blessings before lunch and loving and encouraging my kids. Don't laugh, but I even joined the PTO. It's a great way to be involved and meet some of the teachers and other moms and get to know the principal a little better. By the way, our principal practically lives up there. She works really, really hard. And I'm thankful for her. And our bus driver, she's very strict!!! I'm thankful for her too.

I look back now and am thankful I homeschooled my children for a few years before they went off to school. They've had a great start at reading and math. C. is reading L.'s chapter books! And I still have a few tools here that I can use on my own to teach my kids whatever I want to. I still have some great memory work CDs that we can listen to in the car, and I still want them to know cursive writing. L knows, C. knows some. I didn't know squat about geography or much about world history when I finished school. Those two things are not top priority when it comes to math or English, in the public arena. But I have great tools for those things as well. And lots of things I've learned along the way. So my things mixed with wonderful things our teachers will teach will satisfy me.

We have lots of learning and teaching moments in our conversations each day. They're just a little different than they used to be. But good character moments nonetheless. I also love seeing my children run down the driveway when they exit the bus (dogs chasing behind them in total excitement), and hearing all about their day, checking their book bags, and having snacks! It's great!

We press forward as is. Take in each day. Are thankful for even the little things. Always doing our best. Our best at academics, our best at extracurricular activities, our best at character building, our best at serving the Lord. So thankful He directs our paths.