Forgive this very long post. I have been asked several times of late, why after moving Bailey to home school, and finishing the year with Wyatt, we are still not out and about like folks expect us to be. After so long of trying to tow the line of other folks, we are taking some time to recapture our life and set things back on our own path. So here is the reality, folks...
Sometimes it feels like things break faster than you can fix them, doesn't it? For the last several years, I have made the commute to take the kids to schools in town, and working in a different part of town.We really just thought that was the way things had to be when you live outside of town, and want the kids in a school which has really good opportunities, and with our oldest in High School she was going to have to go that far now regardless, right?
Well, after all of these years of other people's demands wearing on us and driving until there was no energy left, and our daughter going through some incredibly intense bullying- we pulled her out of school. I was fortunate enough that in the process of trying to keep the kids an an extra-curricular they loved, but get them away from some negative influences, we found our way into a 4H group full of home school-ers, who have been so very welcoming and gracious in guiding me along the way.
When I pulled her out, we were all worried about her AP program, and another mom calmly informed me about just how many things I could provide here at home, and that I didn't need to be at the mercy of the school. I have certainly had my eyes opened to the options in the last year!
When I learned that the interventions Wyatt was supposed to be involved in for his processing issues weren't really happening, and I was driving all that way and leaving him exhausted, and still trying to make time for for extra work with him at home, and feeling terribly guilty about how little time he spent being a kid, I started thinking seriously about keeping him home, too. I wasn't really sure it was what he would want, so I left it open ended and told him it would be a lot of work and that he would have to start in the Summer and be able to listen to me as teacher and Mama.
At the same time, it all sounded so simple, which is where you know it will be hard, right?
So Bailey and I went to the home-school convention. I had already been picking up curriculum here and there, and knew the really expensive stuff would be the really good language program I wanted for them. (Nope, haven't shelled out for that one yet.) And that I would have to track the grading and get through the work with them, on top of working and keeping the farm going. We also had a little under our belts, working through three plus months of the year at home with her.
I gave Wyatt the first week after school was out off from school. It seemed fair- everyone needs a break, and then I have added one subject each week. It isn't all smooth sailing, but here is the thing...
When those folks set Bailey up for the bullying, they made her first give up her Sunday mornings. If she really wanted to learn anything she had to do it their way. Much of life went that way, conforming to other folks until the way we wanted to do things seemed lost, and time for ourselves was a struggle to squeeze in.
So part of home schooling, and this new approach to life is really about putting the values of our family front and center again, and putting our life back together. We are far from perfect, but the kids need a good strong educational foundation, and Bailey needs to fill in the gaps from the behavior issues in the school she had attended, and Wyatt needs to do the work for his processing issue, and be challenged instead of grouped with the kids who don't care.
I would love to say that the first week off, we went to church. We didn't. In fact, we are still planning, and still trying to dig out from how behind we all felt here. The kids are growing healthier each day. We are still quite busy rearranging chicken groups and rebuilding coops and roofs and doing some much needed cleaning. Last week we cleaned the kids' carpets and bought a new desk for the family, though while we were doing that a wind storm came through and did this to Bailey's doe barn.
So, we took a break from other chores, and Charlie helped us put it back to where Bailey and I could work on it again. Next up for today is reattaching the fence to the barn at the far right corner. Then getting the new upright support in to the wall you see slumping on the left. The plan had been for the Buckeye pen expansion to share a common fence wall where the fence will reattach to the barn, but will still be in progress while we work on the repairs.
We took some time this weekend to enjoy a fire and the Super Moon. Charlie thinks I should still use a flashlight during watering even with the beautiful moon because of rattlesnake season. Bummer, he is likely right. I just need more hours of daylight after sunset =).
Well, I don't make a habit of explaining myself very often, but I did today. We will keep sharing pictures as we move forward toward our goals for the farm and as a family. Hope you all have a great day!
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