Bringing Them ALL Home

Yep - you read that right. We have decided to bring all of the kids home - and you know what? Sarah is actually excited to be home schooled. I almost fell off of my chair when she told me today that she thinks home schooling will be fun, and she would like to give it a try.

I received the sweetest email from the girls principal. It made my day. I was having a bit of a rough one, and happened to check my email in the early evening. There sat a simple, straight forward, but very kind email from the girls principal asking if the rumor was indeed true that I was bringing my girls home. I responded in kind and let her know that yes, I am bringing them both home, and that so many of her staff will be missed by our family. Me bringing my kids home has nothing to do with the lower elementary grades. All of those that I encountered were kind and loving woman (and a man) who poured their hearts into their jobs. Me bringing my kids home has nothing to do with them, and I hope they realize that. The girls school (and at one time the boys school too) was such a blessing in so many ways for quite a number of years. It helped the kids grow, and it helped me grow as well. It allowed me to gain confidence in my ability to teach my children. Their time there also allowed me to see just how flawed the system is that educates our children, and how it is only getting worse. It showed me how these teachers have their hands tied behind their backs as they struggle to make due with new and harder requirements that the government mandates as necessary. So, to that I say, 'No, thank you'. I will choose to educate them at home where my 7th grade son can receive the extra help he needs in grammar and spelling, and my 6th grade son can move faster in math than allowed in a regular classroom setting. My perfectionist daughter will only have to worry about mastering content that will give her the tools to learn instead of cramming content into her mind not to learn it, but to just get an 'A' on the assignment. And my youngest squirmy daughter will be able to learn sitting down or standing up or squatting or any which way she pleases. She will be able to take breaks when she needs to, and can take all of the time she needs to learn a new concept. There will be no state or government testing for them this year. Nothing to learn only to forget the day after the big test. No, instead they will be learning about things that they will carry with them for a long time.

I will be ordering the rest of their books tomorrow, and I am so excited. I am scared as hell about this new chapter in our lives, but I am so ready for it. This step feels so right for our family. I cannot imagine it any other way right now. I will be sure to share our journey with you. There will be a learning curve for us both, and an adventure all the way.