Overcoming the Fear of ..HEY! This IS OK! Homeschool is OK!

"Shouldn't you kids be in school?"

We decided to venture out today and have a little lunch at our usual local spot and then head over to get some much needed art time in at the pottery place in town. We wanted to add a few personal touches to the classroom before the textbook work starts. As we walked into the restaurant, we got the double take, then the shrug, then that look. Yes, other homeschool moms, you know which look I speak of.  The look that means, this mother should have her kids in school and doesn't....something is very wrong here. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was dying to ask me if they should be in school.  We sat down and as she handed us the menus, she couldn't resist.  "Shouldn't you guys be in school?"  My girls have not experienced this just yet because summer just ended so this scenario is a first for us. I promptly explained that we are homeschoolers now. From there she didn't say much, but when she brought us our food she hammered me with a ton of questions asking why I took that turn and how it works etc.  It ended up becoming quite the conversation and she was completely impressed. She had no idea what was available these days and how it all worked and how popular it was becoming. She commented on how well behaved my kids are every time we are in there which made me feel good. 

From there we headed to the pottery place and wouldn't you know, the first thing the owner said was......"Shouldn't you be in school?".  At that moment I realized, I guess this is going to be something I better get used to and I better come up with a cliff notes version of what I am going to say to these people that start hammering me with questions. I think it will be kind of annoying at first but I am sure we will get used to it. She said she is starting a 5 week art class based on a homeschool curriculum for homeschooled kids at her art studio.  It is something new her and her partner are venturing in because so many people have been asking about it. I think it is great that business owners are adapting and making changes to offer more things for families like us. We are seeking things that are offered during the day because most of the time we will be done with our textbook work by 12 or 1 and would like to get our activities in shortly after. Why not be home in the evenings and enjoy family time with Dad!!!

All of this made me think it is time to list out why we made this choice for our family.  My reasoning is quite simple (AGAIN...this is MY reasoning alone):

1.    Homeschooling allows my kids to move at their own pace.

2.    It allows me to choose what curriculum I want to teach, aka not common core.

3.    It is much more economical than a private school tuition even though I am using an umbrella school which helps me tailor my curriculum to that similar to a private school. This way they are still getting a Catholic based education similar to what they were before in case we ever decide to go back to brick and mortar.

4.    It allows me to challenge my kids in areas they need it. My children get bored easily when it comes to academics so it takes a lot to keep them challenged. The last thing I want to do is sit down with them and give them extra work after a long day at school. If I am challenging them in their normal school work, I am killing two birds with one stone.  I am hitting all the necessary things that need to be taught but also tweaking these things to make them more challenging for them and most importantly ELIMINATING BUSY WORK! If there is one thing I cannot stand it is busy work. I am looking forward to hitting the books during class time and when we are done, WE ARE DONE!  There will be no time wasted at the Valleywood Academy:)

5.    We can travel locally and learn things hands on in the real world which is something they could not experience being inside a school building everyday.

6.    The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to comparing the GPAs, ACTs, SATs, IOWAs, etc of a homeschooled child to that of traditional student.  They are at minimum dead even if not extremely better. It all depends on what you put into it.

7.    We are a low stress family so this is a good fit for us. The morning rush to pack lunches, get ready, and rush out the door, then rush to school for pickup, rush to sports, cram in homework and then repeat the next day (not to mention cramming in all the extra school activities) was so much stress on everyone. It is nice to not worry about that. Not to mention we can travel, vacation, or take "sick days" without worrying about making up busy work or worrying about which one of us is staying home from work this time.

8.    My kids are all very close and get along really well so they enjoy being together. This is not something every household can attest to. I am not saying this will last forever but I will take it while it lasts. My kids have their days but most of the time we are a team here. It does not take much to rope them back in if they start to forget it.

9.     There are so many social groups and friends that are homeschoolers that the opportunity for socializing is endless. So many businesses are now offering classes and activities during the day because homeschooling is becoming so popular, especially in school districts that are suffering. There are so many things to do with other homeschooled kids that I have trouble deciding which things would be the most exciting for everyone. 

10.    If someone is going to be teaching my children what they need to know, why not let it be me. I could either work a full time job and let someone else teach my kids, or I can stay home and teach them myself. Not everyone is lucky enough to have this opportunity but we are very blessed that I am so I am running with it.

These are just some of the things that come to mind when I think about why we made this choice......at least for now:) 

While I had a sad moment in glancing at their old school when I drove by today and saw the Welcome Back Students sign out front, I also looked in my rear view mirror and saw 3 smiles ear to ear glancing back and me reassuring me that we made the right choice and that it is going to be a fantastic year!

Today's Lesson...Pointillism

Today we did a relaxing art project focusing on Pointillism.   They learned the different perspectives on how someone views a painting such as this up close and then far away.  They were amazed at how different it looks each way.   It was so easy with a canvas, acrylic paint and some Qtips.  No messy water or brushes:) Their inspiration came from Sunday Afternoon by Georges Seurat.

The Final Steps in the Transition

I am in the middle of completing the final steps in transitioning the girls from brick and mortar to home school. The placement tests are almost finished and a recommended course list is on the way so that I can start hunting for the best deal on my books.  There are some rules that we have to follow to abide by the state law.  Those I have found on this site:

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/School-Choice/Home-Schooling

This site provides you with all of the information you need in order to submit what the state requires you to school in your home.  These requirements include a brief outline of the intended curriculum for the current year, a list of the textbooks you intend you use, prior school year standardized testing scores or reports for each child and a list of assurances you must agree to including the subjects they require you to teach your child, the minimum amount of hours you will spend schooling for the year and that you as a parent have the proper qualifications to provide this education, which is basically a high school diploma or GED.  All of this information must be submitted to the superintendent of your school district and approved.

As of now we are still on track to start September 2 as long as we get our books by then. Our conference to review the curriculum with our counselor is the last week of August so thank goodness for Amazon Prime:)  I feel like we are cutting it very close but I think it will all come together.   If we start a few days late?  Well I guess I have to get used to the idea that we can be flexible now:)

The Things I Won't Miss

The countdown until school starts has finally begun.  Reality is sinking in as I watch the moms in Target scramble to the School Supply section frantically checking their lists and filling their carts.  I step back and breathe and think to myself, I am so relieved I don't have to do that this year!  No more long lists, book bags, medical forms, fees, permission slips, stressful mornings and most importantly NO MORE PACKING LUNCHES which I dreaded on a daily basis.  I can definitely get used to the perks.   If the extent of my stress in the morning is who gets to the sink to brush their teeth first,  I am going to be one happy mama!