Putting A Toe In The Water

I'm laying here feeling all plague-y with a cold.  In the interim I haven't forgotten about this blog, just didn't know quite what to do with it.  Today it has occurred.

For the past, oh eight years or so, we have toyed with the notion of homeschooling.  This was even before Beauty was born.  It was a lovely notion.  A dream that for all its good intentions refused to take flight.

Beauty was born and we knew we still had 5 years before worrying too much about school.  Then it was four and then three, then two.  At this point we were given preschool on a silver platter.  We said, "Well, it's just preschool for a couple of years."  Beauty is now in first grade.

After having 3 years of public school we know that something is not fitting right.  It may be that Beauty's teacher has a resume of teaching 42 years.  Did you ever think it might be a good idea if your first grader knew CPR?  I mean honestly, retire lady!

Beauty isn't the best reader, but neither is she the worst.  We have a real problem with hearing how she can't read, yet has read us Dr. Seuss the night before.  That seems kind of conflicting.  Is this what they tell Beauty?  She's even going to start going to a reading tutorial.  The name of it sounds an awful lot like dyslexia.  Do they think she's dyslexic?  I can tell you she isn't. 

Then there's the other problems.  I know we are all partial to not seeing the faults of our kids, but come on.  Have you seen the way these kids act?  I feel like we're sending her off to the insane asylum.  Or training ground for future prison inmates.  

After much thought and prayer, my husband and I have decided that it is time.   We are now able to juggle schedules, etc. to make this work.  We are letting her finish the semester in order for us to have time to research legality issues, home school groups, and curriculum choices. 

What a feeling of freedom!  Once we made the choice, suddenly there seem to be no boundaries to the size of Beauty's classroom.  No longer will we be hemmed in by the school calendar.  We can take a vacation, or not, any time we want.  If we want to go on a field trip, we will go on a field trip.  We won't even sign a permission slip.  Best of all, no more fundraisers.  Ever.  We are getting rid of all the worst aspects and retaining the best. 

So now I've decided that this blog will be this journey.  I'll post books I've read and steps I'm taking.  I will put the joys, sorrows, and frustrations.  Sure it's another homeschooling/who knows what else blog, but from a newbie's perspective.  Everyone buckled in?  I'm sure this is going to be quite a ride.