Category Archives: Uncategorized

When unschooled kids learn “all that stuff” people think they never learn

Uncategorized, , ,

11904712_10153120564753753_9182439994170434911_nAnd so it begins…

People always worry that unschooling won’t prepare kids for the real world.  How will they learn (insert any number of skills here).  It’s a scary place to be for parents–especially since unschooled kids often don’t learn things when their classroom-schooled age-peers learn these things.  Suddenly, there’s an overwhelming fear that they’ll be “behind” and at a disadvantage that will render their children unable to support themselves in society.

And that’s a really valid fear when you consider that we don’t have a lot of open role models who have been unschooled.  But let’s break it down and analyze it. Continue reading When unschooled kids learn “all that stuff” people think they never learn →

Another passion discovered

Uncategorized, , ,

Girly likes to sing.  Lots of kids like to sing.  Girly really just likes to sing to herself because she’s very shy and this shyness manifests in countless ways.  Not horribly abnormal although it’s rather severe.

So we were rather surprised when she decided she wanted to be in the choir like her brother Continue reading Another passion discovered →

Someone asked why we homeschool

Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

On a local forum, a mom asked us to share the reasons we homeschool and she was particularly interested in hearing from parents of kids old enough to be in the public schools.  My post was apparently too long for Facebook… Continue reading Someone asked why we homeschool →

So far, so tolerable

Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

And so the school year begins… fuh realz.  We are on roughly day 6 of having a daily public school class for the BigGuy and Girly is lagging behind.  Notsomuch in academics but just in “having things to do”.  So that is my next great endeavor… What to do with Girly? Continue reading So far, so tolerable →

Alge-BRUH

Uncategorized, , , , , ,

So, BigGuy’s testing qualified him for Algebra I in the district.  He took the Iowa Algebra test (I think it’s the IAAT, but I think there’s another one called the IART–not sure which).  It had four sections and BigGuy got 3 problems wrong on the entire test.  BAM!  “Do you even DO math, bruh?”  (We are all about the “do you even” remark here lately)

That being said, we’re still uncertain that he can take Algebra with the district…  Continue reading Alge-BRUH →

Dipping our toes in the public schools

Uncategorized, , , , , ,

It’s scary, y’all.  Very, very scary.  I think people who have been involved in the schools don’t really give much thought to the countless types of information you hand over to them… being on their radar; but I am keenly aware of it.  Suddenly, I realized just how NOT on the radar we were until now.  It’s just kind of weird.

But for us, that’s really only a small part of it… We have much bigger issues here… Continue reading Dipping our toes in the public schools →

It’s your first year and you’re overwhelmed–start here

Uncategorized, , ,

I went to my friends house yesterday because I was in the neighborhood and she said I could.  She shared with me that as she enters her first year of homeschooling, she feels overwhelmed with where to start.  Her children are young (would-be 2nd grade, Kindy and toddler).  Similarly, a new homeschooler on one of my Facebook groups expressed panic over the same thing–where to start??

So here was my advice to them…  Continue reading It’s your first year and you’re overwhelmed–start here →

Teaching and not teaching “responsibility”

Uncategorized, , ,

Okay, bear with me here… this post started with my penchant for country music.  My oldest will be the first to tell me that he should be able to listen to mainstream radio because my country music is “just about drinking beer”.  Touché

But this morning I was listening to a song as I drove Girly to camp and it got my gears going about how kids who grow up out in the sticks are forced to think in ways that other kids are not.  I feel similarly about kids who live in cities like Manhattan and such.  My exposure to these groups is that they are required to think about how to handle situations that my kids in the ‘burbs are just not.  I started wondering if this was something we should address…

Continue reading Teaching and not teaching “responsibility” →

Summer camp

Uncategorized, , , , , ,

The picture says it all folks.  Summer camp.  A joy so genuine that it is worth the fortune of money paid, the hours in the cars, the dislocated workplaces of the parents, and the jumbling of task management at home to accommodate All Of The Joy.

What kind of summer camps provide the faces you see above, you ask?

Continue reading Summer camp →

BigGuy enters “middle school” for 2015-2016

Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

My BigGuy would be entering 6th grade in the fall if he were in public school.  As we were discussing what he’d like to learn this year, he noted that Algebra I and Physics would normally be high school classes.  I agreed.  He asked “If that’s the case, what grade would I be in if I were in school?”

That was a relatively long discussion.

Continue reading BigGuy enters “middle school” for 2015-2016 →