The first day of school...

For those who don't know or haven't read earlier blogs I am a homeschooler. Ironically one of my sisters and I always laugh about the fact that most "homeschoolers" (the hard core ones) wouldn't really consider me a homeschooler... (I highly disagree since my children are nearly always HOME!!!)...and most public schoolers would not consider me a public schooler (for the same reason, my children are almost ALWAYS HOME!). So here I sit in limbo, marching to the beat of my own drum. If you know me well, you know that really isn't anything new to me. :)

First I will explain what we do (skip to the next paragraph if this part bores you...). We have participated in a state funded, charter school, run by the Orange County Department of Education since my oldest was a kindergartener. A friend found the program, and though on bad days I threaten public school...the way some moms threaten homeschool....I really do love it and it works for us. We get a free curriculum provided by the state, report monthly to a teacher with our work samples and take end of the year standardized testing (which I am not bragging...but am very proud when I say, Darling #1 was advanced in all categories...my husband's family expressed a lot of concern in the beginning...so that information is mostly for them ;)

This is our fifth year of homeschooling and though there is very little I think I miss about the other side of the fence, when traditional school starts there is one part of the grass that looks a little greener. I start reading blogs and facebook updates from moms with public school children. There are usually cute "First day of school" pictures and the child is donning a backpack, with a darling new outfit on, a lunch sack in hand and every hair is in place. It is hard to treat our "school" with the same sanctimonious awe that the traditional first day of school gets. We roll out of bed, eat, dress (sometimes....other times we have jammy-itis), and do our work...at the table, on the floor, in our rooms, in other peoples rooms...mom doesn't care as long as we DO OUR WORK! I have never done the traditional school shopping for clothes. We do get clothes as we need them but not for "School." Some times I feel like I am missing something. Maybe I will go shopping and then comb their hair perfectly and take pictures. Either that or I will live with that small piece of grass that is a different color. :) Once a fellow homeschooler was told..."How can you do this to your children? If you don't send them to school they won't learn manners and instructions. (makes you wonder about her kids...), they won't know how to listen or stand still in line." My friend has a great sense of humor. So she acquired Disneyland passes. When someone said something so asinine in the future...she would respond, no we take them to Disneyland frequently so they can learn to stand in line. And the lines are shorter while your kids are in school (no she didn't say that part, I added it, but it is true!). If I am missing anything I imagine I will get over it...I am certainly not going to die from it.

Disclaimer: Homeschooling is NOT for everyone. Please don't judge us for doing it, and we won't judge you for not doing it. But if you call me on it or ask me if I think my children are missing something I will likely send you a copy of our Darling #1's test scores ;)

Make it a great day. Only YOU can!