Some Thoughts On Homeschooling.....

I go to a little homeschool meeting the 3rd Monday of every month. I actually went all last year just to sit in and listen, because I felt that the Lord might be leading us in this direction. I just had to see for myself if MY generation of homeschooling moms truly was different than the image that I STILL have in my mind that I had as a child! (You know - the jean jumper, hair in a bun type image).

I have a handful of very dear friends who have done it for years who I think are pretty rockin' (a shout out to Rach and Chantelley...and to the Burt's even though you aren't my age).....but still. I had to see it up close and personal. And I wanted to ask some tough questions, I wanted some real answers, and I cared nothing for their sunshine and roses days. I wanted the nitty gritty stuff.

AAAAaaaaand sooooo, here I am today.

HOWEVER.

I got sent a link just yesterday entitled "You Know You're a Homeschooler When..." that made me cringe, and I had to laugh because...maybe the stigma is still out there just a bit. So, for any of my friends who are contemplating this journey, let me ease some of your qualms with a more, shall we say, balanced view:

Here we go....
"You know you're a homeschooler when your kids are in the kiddie pool playing Lewis and Clark, paddling down the river with lacrosse sticks."

Hmm. Here's "Amy's version for outside summer play" for MY children. Well....let's just say it involves a slip-n-slide and a WHOLE lotta nakedness. Saturday night baths, anyone?

Here's another. "You know you're a homeschooler when you find yourselves and your guests at your birthday party, at 10p.m. embroiled in a lively discussion/explanation of the heart's size and function...with your five year old, who just had to get out of bed and ask because she couldn't sleep until she knew!"

Oh gag me. "Amy's version" (after hurling) involves my kids getting out of bed only to see if they can have some of whatever we're eating....and ANY discussion at all that might take place usually involves some sort of bodily function when company is around.

And the third of about a kajillion: "You know you're a homeschooler when you're out with non-homeschooling friends and they expect you to know the answers to everything."

Amy's version: Hmn. I can't really respond to that one. That's never happened to me.......but I will let you know if anyone ever does expect me to know everything.

And all of the homeschooling families that I ever knew growing up....on Sunday mornings had their children lined up in perfect order in the pews, squeaky clean, with nary a word leaving their lips the entire sermon.

Amy's version looks a little more like....bathed if they're lucky, sitting about as well as a crazy puppy would sit, and I swear the lips they never stop a movin.'

So, for as long as we take this journey, it will be my honor and pleasure to shall we say, balance the scales a bit on this whole little topic of homeschooling. We are far from perfect, I'm pretty sure the nakedness outside will be a battle for many years to come, bodily functions will always take precedence over more scholarly topics, and the Sunday squirmies JUST might send me over the edge........