So, I haven't posted on here in several years. I started this blog as an experiment in record keeping (which failed miserably). It came to my attention today that people have actually read and commented on lesson plans I posted. Imagine that...
We are still homeschooling and I am constantly reading other blogs about how wonderful life as a homeschooler is and how days are peaceful and rhythmic and everyone holds hands and sings songs and farts rainbows. Maybe I'm the only one, but it's not like that at my house. We are fast moving and chaotic and messy and late for everything and constantly behind where I "think" we should be.
For your viewing pleasure...on a clean day. Note the pile of still to be organized school stuff and the marbles, of which you can only see about a third. Also, yes, that is a Bota Brick wine box, pulled from the recycling for some unauthorized project, probably involving projectiles.
My (personal) goal for this year is to blog here and share just how ridiculous and frustrating homeschooling can be. I am sure this will get criticism (because, let's be honest, what doesn't today) and I am sure people will ask why we don't just send the kids to school. Sometimes I ask myself that and sometimes I really think maybe public school would be better. But then I think about all the reasons we chose to keep the kids home. There are a bunch of different reasons. I don't think anyone decides to homeschool for just one reason. Generally, I feel like why someone chooses to homeschool is a personal choice and none of your damn business, but here are a few of ours. Some are good, some are probably bad, most are pretty selfish, but I really don't care.
1. Control over what our kids learn and are exposed to. And when.
Until this year the boys had no idea that people could be and were judged by other people based on gender, race, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. Everyone was the same and only judged by their choices (read a little sarcasm in this sentence, please...only a little though, because black, white, gay, straight, rich, poor, my kids will judge the shit out of you if you aren't wearing a bike helmet or are smoking a cigarette).
Until this year the boys had no idea that people could be and were judged by other people based on gender, race, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation. Everyone was the same and only judged by their choices (read a little sarcasm in this sentence, please...only a little though, because black, white, gay, straight, rich, poor, my kids will judge the shit out of you if you aren't wearing a bike helmet or are smoking a cigarette).
2. How they are taught.
We have been homeschooling for 5 years now. What worked for our oldest doesn't work for our middle, and what worked for him probably won't work for his younger sister. I know teachers work extraordinarily hard to accommodate different learners, but we had the option, so we chose to keep them home and learn how they learn and teach them taking all those differences into account.
We have been homeschooling for 5 years now. What worked for our oldest doesn't work for our middle, and what worked for him probably won't work for his younger sister. I know teachers work extraordinarily hard to accommodate different learners, but we had the option, so we chose to keep them home and learn how they learn and teach them taking all those differences into account.
3. Flexibility.
We homeschool. My husband works 24 hours on, 48 off as a firefighter. While this schedule makes it damn near impossible to be sure what day of the week it is, it gives us great flexibility in planning our school year, athletic events, field trips, vacations, really anything.
We homeschool. My husband works 24 hours on, 48 off as a firefighter. While this schedule makes it damn near impossible to be sure what day of the week it is, it gives us great flexibility in planning our school year, athletic events, field trips, vacations, really anything.
4. Keeping them kids longer.
I have a 10-year-old who, while he may think he is an adult, still plays in the mud, still catches bugs, still likes PBS kids, still is able to be silly without wondering or worrying what other people think. While we were on vacation I overheard another kid question why he was playing a game (voice dripping with disdain, because it was a "kids game"). Charlie simply laughed and replyed, "Because it's fun!" And went on with the game.
I have a 10-year-old who, while he may think he is an adult, still plays in the mud, still catches bugs, still likes PBS kids, still is able to be silly without wondering or worrying what other people think. While we were on vacation I overheard another kid question why he was playing a game (voice dripping with disdain, because it was a "kids game"). Charlie simply laughed and replyed, "Because it's fun!" And went on with the game.
These are only a few of the reasons we chose to keep the kids home, and like I wrote, they are pretty selfish, but like I also wrote, it's nobodies business except ours.
All that being said, if you have found this blog and feel like you are lacking rainbow farts in your homeschooling or just your home in general, I hope you find some comfort knowing you are not alone.
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