Birthday Excursion

Monday was my birthday, and it so happens that I work for a company that gives you the day off, PAID, as a 'gift.' So, son went off to Nana's to help prepare the traditional birthday cake, and husband and I went shopping. Not your typical birthday shopping, mind. We went Book shopping! The most important kind of shopping there is. The only caveat was that we were looking for textbooks and supplementary materials for this year's venture into homeschooling, due to start next Tuesday. We had previously purchased Books To Build On, by E.D. Hirsch, which recommends a ton of books to go along with the Core Knowldege curriculum we will be using. We scavenged through three local used stores and came back with three textbooks and a stack of 28 additional books from the list. All for less than $100. Through this, I seem to have discovered that my book buying sickness extends to buying books that aren't just for me. (You'll just have to imagine the evil grin...)

For Fellow Bunnyphiles

In lieu of a well thought-out and meaningful blog post, I thought I'd share a cute video I saw on YouTube.

Homeschooling Part 3

We did it. We withdrew our son from school on Friday. He is ecstatic. My husband and I are cautiously excited (we're both Virgos,) and figure the worst that can happen is having to get on the waiting list to get back into the charter school. (We decided it was worth the drive if necessary.) We purchased the requisite copy of What Your Fifth Grader Needs To Know, and a couple of teachers from his charter school gave us the list of books they will be using this year as well as a review book for 'The Test.' You know, in case we get the urge to download it at the end of the schoolyear... We also talked to his chess club sponsor who suggested we continue to come to the tournaments. She said we could still sit with them even if we were our own 'team.'

Thanks again to everyone who posted a comment with suggestions and support.

Homeschooling Part 2

Wow. I really would like to thank everybody for all of the comments. I never expected this kind of response, but I am very grateful for all of the information and support provided.

I wanted to address some of the questions posed, and provide an update to our current position, decision-wise. First, I absolutely agree with you, Daryl, that fear and doubt are holding us back. My husband and I get excited every time we talk, but then the inevitable "are we really going to do this" will arise. We have finally spoken with our son frankly and seriously about the possiblity of homeschooling, and he seems to be mirroring what we are feeling. He acts excited, and then he says he isn't sure. I believe that what he's most worried about is maintaining current friendships.

Secondly, I would like to thank Unique for reminding me about the "What Your XX Grader Needs to Know" books. I had managed to forget (how, I don't know, as it had been a major selling point for us) that the Core Knowledge curriculum that our charter school uses comes from these books.

As I was fretting about this publicly, my husband was quietly going about his research. As we pored over all of your comments, he kept saying, I have that link saved, and that link, yes I read about that... He also found a list of reasons to homeschool that really hit home. After our son read the list, I asked him what he thought. His response, complete with big grin, was, "I'm thinking about homeschooling!"

I must say that I already knew, in my heart, everything ya'll have said. I just wasn't able to bring it to the surface and put it all together. After discussion, I think I have to admit that the inept 'grads' I have met or known were just victims of bad parenting. I had forgotten so many things in my worry. My cousin homeschools, and their daughter is wonderful. My in-laws (that we live with) are UU, and they have a homeschool group at their church. And, I actually used to work with the woman who led the homeschooling charge here in Texas!

It was so enlightening and inspiring to read all of your comments, especially the 'we did it, you can too' ones. I have to say that they reminded me that maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't be all on our own.

I do need to address the comment by Cygknit, as she has known me for a looooong time. It is more a question of how everybody's needs would fit together as a family with all of us managing to stay sane. (Tips on alone time for the parents, anyone?) Because I know I would do a good job teaching even though I'm not a 'professional.' (A friend at work made me feel really good when I told her about our recent thoughts. She said, 'Wow, you'll be great, can I come, too?") You know you would be great, too, Cygknit. You may have forgotten our plans from some time long ago to have our own small community with our friends.... Ahem, I believe you were going to be the teacher...

As it stands now, if we can all get just a little past our nervousness, I think we are most likely going to be trying homeschooling this year. We have to make the official decision by Friday, I think, so that we can withdraw from the charter school.

Thanks again, everyone, and, I'll 'keep you posted' :)