Breathe, just breathe...

So, how are you?

Me? Oh, I'm crazy... I mean fine, really, I'm fine.

We started homeschooling this week. Monday, in fact. I still have all my hair. The kids are still alive. That's good - right? I have been researching homeschooling for about 3 years now. Do you know how good those books, articles, blogs and e-zines can make it sound? How easy? Check it out - you'll see.

There is a part of me that thinks I should be wearing a hippy-cool, hand-dyed, organic shirt over some fab linen slacks (full leg, of course) while chanting and holding hands with my children as we learn of far away places and their cultures. We'd fix fantastical meals based on the country we'd study, learn their music and art, their religions. Then, we'd fall into each others arms with a blissful, well-educated sigh.

This is not our reality. Our reality is that I just realized today that we have yet to cover any history or social studies. ANY. At all. None. We have covered the basics of Chemistry. They love it. We have started into multiplication while refreshing our addition and subtraction. We've worked on the tenses, prepositions, dual-meaning words and various other grammatical items. We've read. We've written. We've cried. We've cursed. Oh wait - that was just me. We've smoked way too many cigarettes. Again - just me.

Sitting here tonight in the silence, with all kinds of books, notebooks and learning materials surrounding me, I think I've come to a new way of thinking. Stop stressing. Stop worrying that he's meeting every Mississippi requirement. Isn't that why we're homeschooling? To learn at our paces? To learn in an interesting way? Rokimus is having a very difficult transition with his Mom becoming his teacher. I'm also having difficulties. In the back of my head are the voices of those around me who are not on board with this endeavor. The ones who doubt I can do this. Honestly, those voices may be imagined, but they are still there. Am I good enough? I feel like a horrible person when I get aggravated that he won't sit down and pay attention. That he won't think for himself - just think. Read something, think about it and implement it. Do they not teach that in the school system anymore? Is it just me? And then, when he's done complaining and whining and figures out that I'm not giving into his crap - he'll do it. ARGH. Why did it take him 20 minutes of all that just to figure out that he's still got to do it?!

So, luckily Moosie is loving this. It helps to know that. I think I may attempt to work them separately somewhat. I may even slack off on the formal educational side of things and work on their thinking/implementing skills. This mainly shows up in worksheets that I've given them. We'll still be working on the education, but I've got to find a different way to approach it with Rokimus.

Anywho. That's what's going on here. That and we're traveling to Missouri next week. You see, Rokimus has won a really large contest through a racing magazine. He's going to represent them in a really big race up there next week. Then after the race, we get to pack up that about $6000 kart and bring it home. So, cool, huh? :)

Take care - Me