It's been a wonderful four years

[oceanbaby]

I know many of my posts here over the years have been me venting about frustrations and wondering if homeschooling was "working," but overall I am so so so so thrilled that we have had all this time together.

My kids have chosen to give school a try this fall for the first time ever (4th and 1st grade), and I am conflicted over what I hope happens! I want them to have a wonderful experience, but I also hope they choose to come back to homeschooling.

Either way, as of Aug 24th, they will start school. And I feel very weepy about missing out on our mornings reading in the sun, or making pancakes, or going to the zoo, or not doing much of anything, but listening to them play and laugh and sing (and fight, of course) while I went about my day. And to think that I used to post here about missing out on Back to School stuff. Ha! I'd much rather miss out on buying packs of crayons than snuggling together on a rainy morning.

Anyhow - I'm sure I will still be around here, as the experience of getting ready for school has clarified what I want for their education, and I seriously doubt that school alone can provide it.

So I'm off to the land of rushed mornings and forms and homework and generally missing my kids. Wish me luck!

[chfriend]

I hope it works out for the very best for all of you.

[kathymuggle]

I am not sure what to say - but I am wishing you the best!

I hope it works out very well or bombs so your path is clear, no middle of the road "What shall we do?" stuff.

Enjoy the last days of summer, enjoy the break you are going to get during the day (Do not rush out and get a job unless you have to ) and enjoy them when they come home from school.

[phathui5]

Good luck.

[ikesmom]

I hope it works out for you all too! I am glad you are giving your kids the choice to find out. You don't have to miss out on the good times..just move the schedule around is all.

[Lillian J]

I hope everything works out well for all of you.

Do some wonderful stuff for yourself right away - things you wouldn't have been able to do before!

I'm at a very different stage in life, with mine already grown, but I've experienced the shock of the empty nest, and I wish I'd known then how wonderful life would be once I got on to rediscovering myself and exploring my own independent interests. I'm lazying around this morning - but I'm running around these days from working out at the gym, to painting, to kayaking, to spontaneously going to whatever movie or opera broadcast strikes my fancy, to drumming my congas, or taking various interesting workshops, or visiting with friends, or whatever... I find myself sometimes bubbling, "Life is just so much FUN!" Being the mom of a young child and eventually homeschooling was heaven, but so is this.

Lillian

[mom2ponygirl]

My daughter chose to go to school last year. Granted it was only half-time, but it was the same every day grind - just shorter. LOL She really enjoyed many things about school. I learned that she could handle way more than I imagined on her own. She liked it, she liked the kids, but she decided she liked homeschooling full-time better.

I was glad I let her go and I'm glad to have her back. We've been brainstorming the upcoming year together and we're both excited.

Lillian - I'm glad to hear how wonderful your 'empty nest' has been. It seems like ours isn't too far away!