The boys had a week off from school for Thanksgiving break. Tomorrow, their friends will be returning to school, but Brendan and Jacob will not. We made the decision in late October to try homeschooling after the break.
This decision didn’t come as abruptly as it might appear. I considered homeschooling before the boys started Kindergarten, but decided to send them to a regular school for the early years. When our school district was unable to provide them with the education I felt was entitled to them, I once again considered homeschooling, but instead found a charter school that seemed to fit our needs.
We love our charter school. This year, both Rob and I joined the Parent Council as classroom representatives so we could be more involved in the school. I also took a part time job at the school and volunteered there many hours each week. I built relationships with teachers and staff and parents. Ironically, it was my involvement in the school that led me to choose homeschooling.
Building relationships with the kids at school (many of whom have special needs) taught me that I am more capable of teaching kids than I knew. Brendan’s teachers reminded me that it is my responsibility to teach my own kids now, just as it was before they started school. And, I realized that doing my part at home is just not possible when a large part of our day is spent at school.
The more I research, the more reasons I find. And I’ll get around to talking about them eventually. But that’s where it all started—my ability, my responsibility, and my lack of time.
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