Why?!

That's the question I've been hearing A LOT of this past week.  We recently (just over a week ago!) made the decision to homeschool our kiddos.  So now you're asking, "Why?!" as well, aren't you?  Some of you are probably saying, "Are you crazy?"  I have an answer to the first question, but as for the second, I'm not really sure!  I probably am crazy or will be shortly.  :)

Well, there are a lot of reasons but mainly because it's what we're (meaning our family) supposed to do.  I have had the feeling that I should homeschool for over a year now.  But I never thought I would be able to handle and so I always pushed the feeling aside and tried to ignore it.  I don't know exactly what made me finally give in though.  There haven't been any major incidents at school or anything else that would warrant this.  The kids are doing pretty well in school.  They really like their teachers and the friends they have in their classes, and all the different activities they get to take part in at school.  I seriously looked into one afternoon, made a list of pros and cons (cuz I'm nerdly like that), investigated curricula, and decided that this was something I needed to talk to Josh about seriously.  He looked at me and said, "What?!  Where did that come from?!  Why?!"  I told him it was something I had been pondering for a while and had just never said anything.  I showed him my list and he looked at me and said, "I think we should do it."  The faith and trust of that man sometimes boggles my mind!  I love him for it though.  If he had come to me one evening and said that we should look into homeschooling I would have laughed in his face and found every reason in the book NOT to, which is probably the reason I was inspired to take this to Josh and not the other way around.  Unfortunately, it's true and I'm working on it.  :) We, of course, prayed about it and know it is the right decision.  So that's why.  But there are quite a few other reason as well. 

* A homeschool schedule would work much better with Josh's crazy schedule.  Owning your own company is great except that YOU are the owner and if you're not there then there's no one running the company!  Summer is by far the busiest time of year for Josh and it's really hard to get away from the business then when the kids would be out of school.  January, however, is the slowest time of the year and he could probably take off a week or so then without any problems, but the kids would be in school. 

* Maddie has been struggling this year with math.  We had no idea that she's was having any problems until she came home with failed tests or nearly-failed assignments.  Once I worked with her through the problems again she got it just fine until they moved on to something new the next week and it started all over again.  The school is so wrapped up in preparing these kids for the TAKS and moving through the information so quickly that some of them get left behind.  We are NOT going to let this happen to Maddie.  She is a VERY bright girl and reads well beyond what the expectations for 3rd grade are.  She's like her mama though and math just takes a little more work.  They spend a lot of time working on reading and comprehension in class and not enough time on the math and science.  I can change that though and spend more time on the subjects she's struggling with. 

*Ryley has struggled with not getting to play/run/be a boy enough.  They only have one little recess at school a day.  That's it!  I can remember having three recesses everyday.  Homeschooling gives us the flexibility to stop and let him run around or have a snack or whatever he needs to get back on track instead of getting in trouble like at school.

* We  can incorporate more religion in their learning.  We do read scriptures every night and have Family Home Evenings but I'm not sure that is enough anymore.

* They spend 7 hours a day in school!  They spend more time every school day with their teacher than they do me.  That's really sad!  They often call me Mrs. Keim or Mrs. Conway instead of Mom - completely by accident, but you can see how that would happen when you spend so much time with your teachers.

* I really want them to have good memories of growing up and spending time with me.  Right now our time together is very hurried since it's all after school during the time I'm teaching piano, getting them to do their homework, getting dinner ready, and then getting them in bed. 

* The risk of catching all the bugs that get passed at school - including lice, yuck! - is greatly decreased when they're not there!  Yay! 

*Homeschooling will give them more opportunities to work together and help each other.  We can all use some more of that.

We've considered the whole "socialization" question of homeschooled kids and really don't think that will be too much of any issue.  I definitely don't want them to be 'those weird homeschool kids' but they get a lot of interaction at church and other activities. 

So it was a bittersweet day yesterday and we sent them off to school for the last time.  We picked them up early and even got invited to a special Author's Celebration in Ryley's class since it would be his last one.  Maddie's BFF Cally walked her out to the front of the school and helped her with all her things and they hugged forever.  That made me a little sad.  I know they'll miss seeing each other everyday but she only lives a few blocks away and I know we'll get them together often.  Every one of the kids' teachers have been FABULOUS.  We have absolutely no complaints against Marion or their teachers.  This decision has nothing to do with them.  It's just what is best for our family right now. 

Incidentally, we did discuss whether or not the kids wanted to do this with them before we made the final decision.  We talked to them about how they wouldn't get to see all the friends everyday or their teachers and how Ryley wouldn't get to go to AIM anymore, but they were still all for it.  We made sure that they understood how this was not going to be a few worksheets and then a day full of TV in their pajamas.   Hopefully they'll still be excited about doing this on Monday evening! 

We've gotten the curriculum and extra books and supplies, turned the dining room and kitchen into our class room and hope to get a big chalkboard built or turn one of our walls into a chalkboard soon.  I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to schedule everything.  Maddie and Ryley are going to be studying the same Core subjects (history/geography/science/Old Testament) and Cash will be listening in and hopefully learning something from it too.  They'll all be studying different things in math, handwriting (Maddie will be learning cursive and Ryley working on improving his printing and holding a pencil correctly), spelling, creative writing, and reading.  We will have a time for reading aloud to everyone and each of the older kids will take a turn helping Cash with one of his projects or reading to him.  Cash will be focusing on the alphabet, numbers, colors and shapes, and using scissors and glue (he is SOOOO excited about his safety scissors!)  I'm most worried about keeping him occupied long enough to help the other two though.  This kid is used to having me to himself! 

We're all excited but I've still got lots of planning to do so wish us well and hopefully we'll all make it through the week!