Confession Time

I have a little secret...

I am a little embarrassed to admit it...

I sent my kids to school...... 


2 months ago! 


AND I LIKE IT!!!!!


Yes, it's true.  After homeschooling both my kids for seven years.  After being a homeschool cheerleader and trying to convince everyone I know that they too, can feel the joy of homeschooling, I crumbled. I should feel like a failure.... But I don't!

Some of my homeschool friends treat me as if I should be in mourning..."How are you holding up?" is one of the questions I get.  "What do you DO ALL DAY?" is another.

This scholastic year has been very trying. Big Girl began middle school. I chose a new curriculum that was very thorough but very boring.  Although she was learning, she was not having fun, I was not having fun and there was little time for outside activities.

Little Girl, on the other hand, has SO MUCH energy.  She was bored, bored, bored waiting for Big Girl to get done with school.  She clearly had some pent-up frustrations. We tried dance combined with gymnastics and piano lessons...still not enough!

Somewhere around October I began researching private schools.  By November, run-ins with Little Girl over schoolwork, housework, piano lessons, listening to me, following instructions and...you get the picture, had me fantasizing about boarding schools. I had one boarding school on my favorites and would often visit the site and dream.  I could afford it if I gave up cable, cell phone and... food. By December I decided one of us had to go.

We took the girls for a tour of the only private school in town that would be an option for us.  Little Girl was going, for sure, we just weren't sure about Big Girl. Well, she must have liked what she saw because after  thinking about it a couple of days, said "I think I'd like to try school, too." So we enrolled them both and haven't looked back.

They are both doing very well. Big Girl, who thought she was terrible at math tested into Algebra (she's 11).  They are enjoying school and making new friends.  I think the teachers are good and there are a lot of creative opportunities at the school. There is a huge focus on the arts so there is a lot of art, music and theater along with computers, spanish and the regular subjects.

I am doing okay, too.  I was worried about what I would do all day but I am managing to keep myself busy and am thinking of things I may do next year if the girls continue at school.

I still love homeschooling and plan to homeschool again (this school only goes to the eighth grade).  Just for now, though...taking a break is a very good thing!