(Home)School

I (heart) homeschooling. 

There.  I said it. 

It's a tricky thing to say as a homeschooler because: 

a)  Some people judge me for homeschooling. 

b)  Some people think I'm judging them for NOT homeschooling. 

c)  My kids are judged on a different scale when people find out they're homeschooled. 

It's a whole lot of judging for any given afternoon.   

Being a second generation homeschooler, I'm well acquainted with the (I'm sure) well-meaning stranger (who 7 times out of 10 works at Wal-Mart), who feels the liberty to decipher what is right and wrong for my child whom he/she has never before laid eyes upon.  "You're homeschooled?"  they say, eyebrows perched toward Heaven.  "Ohhhh...," the chin lifts in a, "Sure you are" tone.  Instantly we're labeled as religious fanatics with a cardinal goal of shielding our children from the big, ugly world, or granola hippies who let our children run around barefoot all day (okay, there might be some element of truth to the barefoot part) with no structure or actual education happening. 

We, in fact, are neither. 

Now can I have my receipt, Wal-Mart lady??

:-)

I think some of these strangers would be surprised to know that the primary reason we chose to homeschool our kids was because we like them! 

We like to be around them and we like having them around.  

(not at all to say people who choose private or public education don't like their kids...the benefits of these choices are many, and every child / family is different and thus has different needs.)

Sure, there are challenging days where my heart (and flesh) just aren't in it and I contemplate the 'ol "free to a good home" ad (Just kidding.  I think.), but I can't tell you how many days I just can't believe I GET to do this...to snuggle with them as they learn to read, to laugh with them as they learn to subtract and borrow, to sing silly songs with them about continents or ball joints or whatever else we get into that day.  I can't believe I get to serve them warm soup from my kitchen on a snowy afternoon.  I can't believe our "sub" is their Gram, MY Gram, and they get to listen to her Grammy voice reading for hours each week and study the hands and heart that I myself studied for so long, all the generations giving and taking from each other at once.  I can't believe I get to see them succeed and feel them progress and be that trampoline springing them back to their feet when they fail.  I almost want to cry when I see their wide eyes when they've learned something that really tickles their fancy because I get to be there with them for that one moment in time that will never happen again. 

It's like a miracle that keeps happening. 

And I love it. 

(There.  I said it again.  Love it or leave it, Wal-Mart lady.)   

:-)