I'm pretty sure we will be sending Levi to the charter school this year. It is a bitter sweet realization. But if my concerns are really just as I've said them, I shouldn't have much concern with the charter this next year. It is only Kindergarten, so the time length is great. I'm sure I will be going through this process all over again next year, though, because doubling the time demands will be really annoying to me, I think. But anyway, I think this will give us a chance to see how we like the charter in general. If it really is outstanding, then perhaps it is worth the time. There is also a private school not too far that is a half day. It is also only $120/month. This may be a good option for us in the future if we decide, if we move a bit closer, and if/when we can actually afford the (small) amount of $120/month.
But I think I will forever more have a love for homeschooling, even if I never do it. I think I should clarify I had no intention of sitting at home all day with my kids and cutting out leather to make shoes. I chuckled to myself when I wrote that in the last post, as I was just demonstrating that there are a lot of valuable skills not to be had in schools. But really, it probably came across as pretty weird. I am actually very concerned about academics. There are a lot of homeschooling parents, especially locally, who believe in delayed academics. While there are possibly some good things about it, in general, I think it merely makes the kids fall behind, which then gives homeschooling a bad name.
There is a blog I read and this mom has such an amazing homeschool. Her children are a few years older than mine. They are playing the piano (and getting good, I might add, since there is playing the piano, and playing the piano). They are soaring with academics. The 9 year old daughter goes to sewing once a week. She also picked up the flute the last couple years. She hires a tutor to come teach her kids Spanish. She is able to make scripture study a part of school. And she has her girls in competitive gymnastics. They go for 3 hours 2-3x a week. Here is what she wrote on her blog about gymnastics:
People are always curious as to my reasons for homeschooling the children. The reasons are myriad but include my desire for the children to be excellent and not overwhelmed. I want them to excel and develop talents. ...
Gymnastics adds a wonderful balance to our homeschooling. It gives the girls large blocks of time which they spend with a peer group and other adults. It is a situation which requires discipline and performance. Brent and I have no desire to train them for a future in gymnastics, most likely by the time they are 12 we will have reaped all the benefits of the sport. The rigorous time demands can be very difficult for teammates who spend 7 hours at school. It is a drain on the child and the family. This has become very clear from my conversations with the mothers of their peers. For now, gymnastics is serving an excellent purpose in the health and well being of the girls.
Isn't that great? I just love that. You see, homeschooling isn't about keeping your kids at home all the time and missing out in society. You just get a different taste of society, still great interactions. Since today is the Olympic Opening Ceremony, I've been thinking about this. I don't ever plan on raising an Olympic athlete (that's called putting your eggs in the rarest basket), but I did gymnastics as a kid, and I really loved it. I've always regretted quitting. You want to know why I quit? Because I was tired. It was exhausting to go to school, then go straight to gymnastics, and never feel like you have any free time. And if you do want to learn an instrument on top of that, or anything else useful... And what about family time, anyway? You see. So here I am again talking about homeschooling, when it's not what we will be doing this year. I'm just trying to show you what I feel like I will be leaving behind if I don't homeschool, and why it makes me a little sad. But I do have to say there is no one perfect way. Each of the educational choices we've considered have their pros and cons.
In college I attended a presentation and the speaker was the mother of the year a while back. She said that the education of your children is your responsibility. You can use the schools as a tool, if you choose, but ultimately you are in charge of their education. She also said that in any given year she'd have some children in public, some in private, and some homeschooled, depending on the child and the year (she had 11 children). I've kind of kept this as my motto ever since, and will probably always consider the individuality of my children for the education. I don't know if I could do that much juggling with 11 kids, though :)
