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Oct 18 2008
Yes, I'm a Homeschooling Freak of Nature
(Originally posted on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman in March, 2007)
I homeschool my punks. And well into my fourth full year of homeschooling, I sometimes completely forget the fact that homeschooling, to so many people, is a foreign, unnatural, and sometimes shocking concept. I forget that before I made the decision to homeschool, I always pictured homeschooling parents as denim-jumper-wearin', no-fun-havin', no-social-interaction-gettin' fruitcakes who rap their children's hands with switches if their cursive writing doesn't have the proper slant. And most of all, I forget that every time I post photos of my school-age children sitting on horseback and holding calves' legs in the middle of a weekday, my readers just might wonder if these poor kids ever go to school.
Marlboro Man and I decided to start homeschooling our kids over four years ago. Our oldest child had just completed her first full year of kindergarten, and we were already exhausted from the transportation challenges we'd had to endure that year. The school bus willingly picked her up, yes. But it showed up at our house twenty miles in the country at 6:45 a.m…and brought her home at 4:30 in the afternoon, her snoozing, sweaty face plastered against the bus window. Something about my five-year-old spending upwards of three hours on a school bus each day didn't seem quite…right to me, but the alternative was for me to load up all my rugrat punks in the car and make two round trips to town each day. And something about me spending that amount of time in the car didn't exactly make my skirt fly up either.
Around this time, my glorious friend, Hyacinth, and I met with a group of cool couples from the big city with whom we were discussing a potential project. Through the course of our meeting, we found out that a couple of them just happened to be homeschoolers. After the utter shock of finding out that "cool" and "homeschoolers" could, in fact, coexist in one sentence, my head started swimming. I leaned over to Hyacinth and whispered, "Ya think we could do that?" She looked at me, rolled her eyes, and stuck her finger down her throat.
I went home, mentioned it to Marlboro Man, and he said, cool as a cucumber, "I think we should do it." I spent a week researching, evaluating curriculum choices, and trying to find one compelling piece of information that would give me cause to run far and fast away from making the decision to homeschool my children. I never found it, spent the summer amassing the materials we'd need, and we started that fall. (And by the way, Hyacinth did, too.)
While transportation was my primary motivation for choosing to homeschool, every day I realize more and more advantages to this bizarro way of life. The flexibility is perfect for our ranching lifestyle, allowing the kids the opportunity to work with Marlboro Man during busy times. Another benefit, which also sometimes makes me want to pluck out my eyelashes one-by-one with needle nose pliers, is the sheer amount of time we get to spend together as a family. Though I frequently want to send them all on a month-long picnic in our north pasture, I do sense a real connectedness that has formed in our household over the past few years. There's a sense that we're a team, that we're all in this together, and that any learning that needs to be done around here is a group effort.
An offshoot of this, and probably the source of the most gratification for me, is seeing our older girls begin to teach our younger boys. I'd always heard that this phenomenon begins to evolve in homeschooling households—this older-kids-teaching-the-younger-kids thing—but actually watching it unfold is a real thrill. Thanks solely to the voluntary actions of my two daughters, my four-year-old dude can now write and sound out his letters, read small words, and perform differential equations. (Just kidding on that one.) I figure in about a year and a half, I'll just lay on the couch, watch bad daytime television, eat Jello pudding, and just let my girls handle all the educational responsibilities in this house. (Just kidding again, but it actually sounds tempting.)
The question we get asked most frequently is "What about socialization?" The only response I can offer is that my kids are actively involved in soccer and karate, and they have cousins they get together with frequently. They take summer art classes in the big city and have some cool friends. And once a week, Hyacinth comes over with her kids and we have our own little one-room schoolhouse together. It's about as normal and chaotic as it can be.
Lots of people support our decision to homeschool. Some are quietly guarded. Others think we're mentally ill. I vacillate between all three myself. Believe me, if you're shaking your head reading this, I understand. If you think I'm a nutjob, I totally get it. If you think my kids will grow up to be weird, you're probably right. And if you think I'm a freak? You're right on the money.
But you know what? It works for us.
If you have any questions, I'd love to answer them. Thanks for listening. Over and out.
254 Comments
Alicia On Tuesday, October 21 at 10:25 pm
Oh how I love to stumble on a good blog/website! And unfortunately I stumbled upon yours last evening when I was hopelessy alone and all the children were in bed. I then continued to delve full on into your site and couldn't muster the strength to pull myself out for about…ohh…2 hours! I hate when that happens, But in that…I found a little about you and your family and was delighted! Your lifestyle feels envious to me right now! I have 4 little ones and sent our first to preschool this year…I HATE IT! Unlike your experience it's only 4 minutes away for me…nonethless I do have to load up 3 other "babies" and trapes out to the car 4 times, 2 days a week! Now for next year it will be preschool 2 days for baby #2 and then kindergarten for baby #1 3 days a week…OPPOSITE DAYS! So, moving on to the actual question! Do you use secular or faith based cirriculum….mix? I have not been able to accertain from your site your faith quite yet….so forgive the question. And along with that….do you school all year or just during the "school year"? Can't wait to read more of your life….I'm hooked!
Jen On Tuesday, October 21 at 11:28 pm
Hi Ree
Glad to see the homeschooling section of your site! Coolness! We are a homeschooling family too, though our life is very different from yours. We're a military family, currently stationed in Germany. This is our second tour overseas. Our oldest turns 17 next week (gaawwwp!) and our youngest is 10 (we have 4 kids)–we've been doing this homeschooling thing for about 13 years. We love the flexibility since we move a LOT, plus we can travel on offseason. Look forward to reading more!
D'Anna Balliett On Tuesday, October 21 at 11:34 pm
My oldest son begged me to homeschool him and in all honesty I would have LOVED to do so. Unfortunately I had to work so that schedule would not work and the rest of the kids poo-pooed the mere idea of it all. He was heartbroken but all in all I thought, they rarely listen to me when I tell them something as their mother…..how damaging it would be to have me as their teacher!?
I question how much further my kids would be had I made that decision but in the end we have left it to the trained professionals. Maybe I'll homeschool my grandkids. Oh what havoc and payback I could reek on my children then….muahhahha
Ree, I commend you. You sound like you are raising some very intelligent kids there and don't worry…a little insanity goes a long way in building character…they'll be fine.
Stacey On Wednesday, October 22 at 9:27 pm
You forgot my option in your poll. I don't currently home school. But, tried it, 3 different times. Gave up, finally. It just didn't work for our family. I love the idea of it, and wish I could do it.
Laura K. On Wednesday, October 22 at 9:49 pm
We pulled our daughter out of preschool in May, 2003, and we've been homeschooling ever since. She is now 9, and says she wants to hs forever (or at least until she goes off to vet school). Our son is 5, and after much deliberation we decided to send him to half-day kindergarten this year. It's giving dd and I some much needed one-on-one time, but I miss my boy. Our plan is to bring him home at the end of the school year, maybe sooner. I love that my kids had five years of uninterupted, daily togetherness to create a great sibling bond. They really are each other's best friend, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.
A funny story – yesterday I was at ds's school and I finally got to meet the recess teacher he's always coming home talking about. She absolutely gushed over ds. She's been at the school for 28 years, and she said that once in a while she meets a kid who just seems so together – friendly, respectful, caring, polite, interested in having conversations. She asked how I did it, and I told her I didn't know, but maybe it had to do with him spending the last five years being homeschooled. She commented that he was socialized great and "you'd never guess he was a homeschooler". LOL – I took it as a backhanded compliment.
BTW – I like the new designated homeschool area. Any chance it will get its own tab up top?
Kathy On Wednesday, October 22 at 9:56 pm
I love reading about you and how you handle your homeschooling. We are in our 8th year of hsing….pulled the oldest out of K, 3 1/2 months in. Didn't figure her teacher making her cry then sending her to the hall to sit all alone because she was crying was teaching her much of anything. She's in 7th grade now and doing great. I have one in 5th and a 3rd grader too.
Homeschooling just works for us and I can't imagine it any other way.
Keep the posts coming.
Sandy On Thursday, October 23 at 12:57 am
How I wish I could have homeschooled my children. They're grown now and at the time I was one of the first group of professional women who traveled for a living. I was home 2 days and gone 3. It wouldn't have worked. And yet I saw how each of my boys "failed to thrive" in the warehouse mindset of the school system. It is wonderful how the materials have developed and the support systems grown around home schooling. And I've never met a home schooled child who didn't have a clear sense of him/herself. It's a wonderful gift to give to your children.
Dana On Thursday, October 23 at 3:00 am
We're homeschoolers too. Our oldest daughter just missed the cutoff date for kindergarten this year so we're not doing anything really structured. Yet. There's stil time. She did just turn 5 after all.
I think my mom thinks we're crazy and that we shelter our girls too much. (Mom, if you're reading this…Hi, Mom! We love you!) We're going to end up being very relaxed homeschoolers, and I think it drives her crazy.
robyn On Thursday, October 23 at 6:41 am
Hi Ree,
If people wonder if you actually teach your children anything while they are working on the ranch, tell them heck yeah!
There is a lot to be said about homeschooling and lifestyles. In order for it to work, it has to fit your particular lifestyle. My daughter had to board a bus at 6:45, but I'm a sucker and loaded up my twin babies and our 2 year old up to drive her to the town limits so she can catch a ride to the neighboring town for school. That is what works for us, but before that, the lessons she was learning while working with the cowboys, watching the animals, spending time with others (albeit older), was just as valuable in nature as it is in the classroom. And hey – what better way to teach genetics! My 14 year old can spot a great bull far better than I can!
inadvertentfarmer On Friday, October 24 at 2:34 am
Ahhh the socialization ?. I've homeschooled for over 16 years (5 kids ages 22 years to 18 months…yes you read that right) Anyhow when I'm asked about the whole socializationt thing I respond that if they were anymore socialized it would certainly kill me…I would give my right arm (well at least a finger or two) to have two days in a row at home, no soccer, no Friday school, no swimming, no church, no nothing! Anyway its great that we get to spend 24/7 with our kiddos…isn't it??????????
momof8crzykids On Saturday, October 25 at 1:29 pm
Hi Ree,
I have 8 kiddos, ranging in age from 20 down to 8. I started out the first 4 homeschooling. We all loved it, being on the farm, milking cows with dad, driving tractors, and just learning how to balance work and school. Until my 5th child came down with a genetic disease (she was normal until she was 5). We had to make trips out to MN. we live in Pa. so with their dad working the farm and not being able to go out to Mn., the grandparents took over, until this turned into about a year and a half of traveling with a sick child in tow. The first four I mentioned went to Christian school for 2 years, then eventually public school.
Things have calmed down now after about 10 years, and we are getting back into homeschooling again starting with my 16yr. old daughter. Now the three youngest boys want to be homeschooled (they never have been) and I'm thinking if everything goes well with the farm we are buying, it's going to be great!
There is such a difference between my oldest boys (20, 19, and 18 , and my youngest boys (13, 11, and 8) that I can only chalk up to how they were schooled. The oldest ones loved to get their school work done in around 2-3 hours a day, and have the rest of the day to help out on the farm, and to themselves. I can't stand the fact that the younger ones are in school all day long, missing out on so much around them, then coming home and doing an additional 1-2 hours of homework. What's up with that?? I sometimes wonder what they really do all day in school!!
Yep, I'm bringing them home for good.
Jenny On Monday, October 27 at 6:36 am
Thanks so much for your recommendations for the different books (Story of the World). This is our first year for homeschooling (5 kids ages1-10). It has made homeschooling so much fun and I'm finding that me and the kids are much happier as "relaxed" homeschoolers hat I thought. I have a secondary ed degree and started up trying to make it very rigid and strict. Thankfully I'm a fairly quick learner and after 2 months I've figured out that it doesn't work well for my kids or me :). My dream is to one day have land and animals so my kids can learn all the types of things that yours are!
Dena On Monday, October 27 at 7:21 pm
I just found this site! It is wonderful. I really like the hs section.
We are homeschooling our grandson who is eight. This comes after many years in Montessori School. It was a good foundation for him. We are having a great time and are using a mix of books and information. We decided to do this a week before school started because it seemed like the right thing to do for him. He is bright and inquisitive and this is working. He also loves to read (like we all do at at our house) and build things. He can get his school work done quickly, including his 1/2 hour a day reading of a fiction work. Then he can play or make robots or…you get the idea. Thanks for the sugar cube idea!
Jan On Monday, October 27 at 7:21 pm
I LOVE your blog. My daughter first sent me your section about your brother and working with firemen. I've continued to visit for the grins and giggles you provide.
I wished that I could have worked out a way to homeschool my kids when they were young. They are now all fun grown-ups who survived even though they went to public schools (!). I loved the part of raising kids when you could see their little minds mulling over something and then seeing them marvel at what they learned or figured out.
I actually wanted to homeschool even more after a "dumb" public school counselor asked why I thought I could teach my children at home. "Do you have an education degree? Who will teach them calculus?" I am educated. I appreciate them more than you ever would andmore patient with them than anyone. I can learn it before I teach them, if I need to. AND…I taught them table manners, to use the bathroom, groom themselves, dress themselves, tie their own shoes. Geez, lady!
Kudos to you and your Marlboro Man for making that very cool commitment to your family. I am envious!
Lisa On Tuesday, October 28 at 3:30 am
Just so you know…. you're not crazy. I was homeschooled, we never had a TV, and didn't have lots of outside friends growing up (hey, three brothers and a bunch of cousins are enough to keep a kid socialized) and people have told me, "I never guessed you were homeschooled!" Like homeschooling is some sort of stigma. Homeschooling did leave me with a love for the arts, musical ability, and a love of learning, because I was allowed to choose what I wanted to learn, instead of being forced swallow whatever was in the curriculum. (Except math. My mom forced me to ingest at least enough math to get me through life. Thanks, Mom.) We all got to work for my dad's business and play music for nursing homes. I'm an artist, happily married, a student of life, and haven't missed public schooling at all. I'm thankful my folks listened to God and taught us at home. Someday I want to do the same for my kids.
Dori Troutman On Wednesday, October 29 at 10:20 pm
First off I want to say that I love your blogspot. I come here often… mainly for something to cook!!! However, today I read your h.schooling story and felt compelled to write. My children are grown (daugher is 25, son is 24) and we homeschooled them from the time they were in 5th and 6th grade until they graduated from highschool. What a MARVELOUS life we had. Just like you say, our family had so much time together that we were best friends. I know it doesn't work for everyone; but oh my word did it work for us. Sacrifice? YES; Hard? YES; Fun? Not always; Successful? MAJORLY!!! And no, our kids did not turn out weird, or dysfunctional, or illiterate (they both graduated college). But they did turn out to be amazing, outstanding, fabulous adults that I am so proud of and my husband and I are still best friends with. My daughter and her husband have a child now and they are very anxious to homeschool her. Our son, who is not married yet, says he wouldn't trade his homeschooling years for anything. I could go on forever of course… but won't! I guess I just mainly wanted to say that I felt like homeschooling saved my children, saved our family, saved my marriage and was a beautiful answer to a lot of prayers.
Thanks for your fun blogspot!
Carrie Belair On Friday, October 31 at 1:56 am
YOU are SOOO my HERO!!!!
dallas On Friday, October 31 at 3:45 am
I think the choice to homeschool your children is a very personal decision and it has to be the right "fit" for your family. We homeschool our boys ages 2,4,6 and 8. We live right across the street from 3 schools…people think we are crazy…and we probably are- but we are okay with that. We have 4 special needs kids…Tourette's, Celiac disease, Apraxia and a recovering tongue tied baby. Homeschooling is a perfect fit because we go at their pace and they are comfortable here at home. No one makes fun of the oldest for his tics, no one contaminates the 6 year olds food, the 4 year old needs to go slower to get a skill…. it just works for us!
Good luck on your homeschool journey…I love reading about what works for your family!! Keep us posted…I think it's now an addiction for me!! :O)
Katrina On Friday, October 31 at 4:56 am
Hello there, It's so nice to see you writing about homeschooling. I like that you have a separate section for it as well. This is our first year homeschooling all three of our sons, ages 2, 6 and 8. I look forward to reading more about how you are homeschooling!
Tammy On Sunday, November 2 at 2:21 pm
I am a public school teacher and I think homeschooling does work depending on the parent. But I do think homeschool children are missing out on some aspects that are good in public educaiton. It just depends on where you have to send your children to school. There are good schools and bad schools just like with anything else. I worked in a bad school for serveral years ( and tried to make my room a good place, hopefully I was successful with that!) I now work in a wonderful school! What a difference a good administrator can make! I think what I am trying to say is that if you have a choice of where to send your child you should make that choice with an open mind.
Angelique Daut On Monday, November 3 at 11:55 am
I too love your site. I have a fantasy life as a farmer, rancher or other non-city life going on in my head. The truth is I get very nervous around horses. They are soooo big and I know that I would hate taking care of too many animals too early in the morning. But, the fantasy is there. Your site helps feed that need for me.
I just started homeschooling this year. I have a 10th grader, 8th grader. I choose a curriculem that would be easiest on me, but am finding that my kids are a little bored. So, now I am looking at adding a few fun activities or maybe a homeschool group to our already busy schedule. I do however see a huge change their attitudes since homeschooling. I feel like I'm getting my kids back. It is extra work. It is hard not to have that happy dance on the first day of school and the house is totally quiet. But I am finding the trade off worth it. I plan to pull our youngest out of public school next year too. There are just too many benefits not to. By the way, can someone explain to me what dd is?
Ali Kat On Monday, November 3 at 10:01 pm
I have a 14 month old, and we have already decided that we'll most likely be homeschooling our kids (we want 4)! I have taught in both public and private / Christian schools, and really haven't seen many positive things going on. Also, I would rather be the sole influencer and example in my children's lives I'm looking forward to reading more of the info you have (and starting my own notebook, since we've got a few years to go, yet)!
Annie On Monday, November 3 at 10:59 pm
Angelique – dd generally stands for for "darling daughter."
B On Tuesday, November 4 at 4:55 am
Nice to run across your site… I'm a proud product of home schooling. Now I am 24 years old, a successful landscape architect* (*still working on my license), married, living in the city, serving on boards of nonprofits, buying local foods, socializing and living quite the upper-end-of-normal life. I'm blessed. I loved it. Keep it up…
Cathy On Thursday, November 6 at 9:44 pm
This is our second year homeschooling our boys aged 15 and 6. The kids love it, I love it and homeschooling has turned into a huge blessing for our family. Our kids are "socialized" with many children of different ages, and with adults–not just other kids their own ages. I know h-schooling isn't for everyone, but it sure is a great fit for us.
Thanks so much for all the info, stories, humor, recipes, etc. you provide on a daily basis!!
christina On Friday, November 7 at 4:50 pm
Ok, I have to ask and if you answer, I will be ecstatic! I have 4 children and babysit one and we are in the process of adopting 4 more kiddos. We have just started homeschooling this year, because last year my oldest baby girl went to school (supposed to be in Kindergarten but got bumped to first grade in the first week) and the poor thing was a rotten little brat when she got home each day. She was tired as can be and had been told how amazing she was at school each day but was seriously slacking at home. She started being really MEAN to her siblings and really believing that she was better than them. Needless to say, she was praised all day at school and then come home to a really upset mommy who she just couldn't make happy…. here is my dilemma…. we are homeschooling this year (and the attitude has made a HUGE improvement) but I am (as you call yourself) a VERY relaxed homeschooler. Like I actually SIT DOWN AND DO SCHOOL like once a month…. I feel terrible. How did you get started. I taught my first one to read when she was 4 and she does wonderful on her own now, but it was through normal everyday situations. We did not sit down and DO school…. we just played games and learned…. I am not able to do the same thing with math and history and geography and …….. Help…..
Rachel On Friday, November 7 at 5:04 pm
It is awful to send your kids away for so long each day – My son spent 3 years in a Montessori classroom in CA. When we moved to UT I had only one option: Public School. So I sent him to the school around the corner and things went alright. He had a great teacher and it was very close by. Well that year several things changed. I had my second boy, I started working from home and then at the end of his 2nd grade year, they tore down the school building to rebuild. So that fall all the kids started taking a bus across town. He left so much earlier every day and by the time he came home I was already sequestered in my office for the rest of the night. I barely saw my boy anymore! And he began to change. So at Christmas last year I submitted my paperwork to the district and didn't send him back in January. We haven't looked back and it's been amazing! I'm really enjoying your writing.
Pam On Friday, November 7 at 8:58 pm
HI, I absolutley love your site. I just pulled my son out of public school today. We have fought for the last 3 yrs to help him get his homework home and turn it in. He doesn't like school and we got tired of the fight. All the above comments have been a great help. I am nervous about the scheduling thing, and on how I can tell if I"m really helping him or just making learning harder. We're going today to get his books.I am up for any suggestions.
Lisa On Sunday, November 9 at 7:40 pm
I loved reading this as I am curious about why families homeschool their children. I live in an area where schools are 5 minutes away and we have a great school system that works for us. But everyones situation is different so it's great to read about what works for others. Love your website. You are brilliant!
Peggy On Thursday, November 13 at 1:44 am
I think it is great that you homeschool! Our boys went to a small Christian school until we moved 4000 miles just over 3 years ago. We only live 10 minutes from the school but who wants to drive when it is -40 (yes your read that correctly 40 below zero!) It was too much of a challenge to even consider sending them to school as none of them were at grade level (read 2 to 3 years above depending on the subject..) I still wonder where they get their smarts. I understand the smart aleckness but the actual smarts… makes me wonder.
Okay, I truly understand the mixed emotions of homeschooling. I love having my guys at home but it would be nice to have some girl time. Like I know anything of girl time until recently even the animals were males, aside from one young heifer and a few chickens. We now have one in high school, one in jr high, and one in elementary grades. I love the flexibility to do what we want when we want! A good example would be today, it was nice out (about 15, sunny, and lightly snowing) so the boys took an extended lunch to go cross country skiing and snowboarding. We cut school short so that they could go back out before it got dark considering it is dark out by 4:30 these days.
I really look forward to reading more in the days to come! By the way, good job!!
Celina On Friday, November 14 at 9:18 pm
Go Mama go! -Homeschool Mom's rock!
We have four fun little-wranglers of our own 14,11,8+ 4
We have home schooled , private schooled ,public schooled. We're living a rural lifestyle 25 minutes out -…last night in the firelight we butchered the thankgiving turkey ( after basketball -hubby is a coach)
Our family's have doubted our schooling decisions many times said" they'll be behind "
guess what they've always been dead wrong.Our children are leaders! Our 11 yr. old started school at 6 and aced the testing last year- he's off the charts in every area…and hello in their gifted and talented classes as well.
He was one that we pulled to homeschool when we felt he was bored. There are good teachers and bad in all venues –as for me I know what's best for my children and I will do all I can to teach them to live to their best potential
as God intended.Keep up the good work!
Your children will always be confident leaders.Thanks for the homeschool links– and the great insight + humor.
rock on mom!
Erin On Monday, November 17 at 10:37 pm
Just wanted to pass this article I found online about famous people who were homeschooled.
Viking Mom On Tuesday, November 18 at 10:45 pm
I am also starting the home school road after a horrible experience with my son's daycare/preschool. We also live a distant away from the nearest town and the ride on the bus would also be long. I used to teach high school and saw the effects of 45 minutes to an hour on the bus on high school students. I had instant images of my son exhausted, moody and depressed. My son and daughter also have celiac spru disease, the inability to process gluten protein. I found that people are more willing to support peanut allergies, but not gluten intolerance. I love the idea of spending time with kids and watching the grow. And I know what their capabilities are and I don't have to rely on a burned out weathered old, one foot in the door of retirement….(let you finish the statement) to tell me "he's just fine."
Keep it up!
Mel On Thursday, November 20 at 12:34 am
I love your take on life including the goofiness that can be homeschooling!!! We homeschool both of our youngest, who are special needs and it so works for us and they are thriving, i love your food coloring recipes for measuring, excellent.
Tina On Thursday, November 20 at 5:35 am
My daughter is a junior and my son is in 7th grade this year, and we are in our 6th year of homeschooling. There were 2 major reasons we pulled them out of public school, and lots of little reasons! My dd went to public school through 5th grade. She's bright and a great student, and she had a very hard time when the whole class would get punished for the wrong doings of one or two in the class. There was no room for individuality and there was no personal accountability, at least in our public school. Add to that the fact that my son, as a first grader, was being promoted as a "great reader", but actually he was memorizing the books they read aloud together over and over in school. He could not read, was falling farther and farther behind, and his teacher didn't even know. When I went to talk to her about it, she just shrugged and said, "but he's such a good boy!" When we decided to homeschool, we were the only ones in our school district, and in a small town of 2500, we were the talk of the town! 6 years later, my daughter is self taught, loves to learn, smart as a whip, and a social butterfly. My son was diagnosed with auditory dyslexia, and with some simple changes in curriculum and teaching styles, he is now caught up and doing fairly well. He still struggles, and probably always will, but I shudder to think where he would be if he would have stayed in public school.
I agree that homeschooling is not for everyone, but it has been the best thing we ever did. I love spending time with my kids all the time, I love seeing the light bulb come on when they learn something new, and I know we are doing the best we possibly can for our kids. Incidentally, there are now quite a few homeschoolers in our district and it is not seen as scandalous any more.
Betsy On Friday, November 21 at 3:22 pm
Hooray for another "cool" mom homeschooling! When I grew up homeschool kids were the uncool, social outcasts. I love that someone as respected by you by both sides of the spectrum is a homeschooler! Woohoo!
Dacey On Friday, November 21 at 5:17 pm
Do you have a strict homeschooling schedule? I'm on the fence about homeschooling. I am all for it and want to do it, but my type of personality says I'm not organized enough and I'll end up flaking out. I don't want to jump into something I'm not ready to do (my oldest daughter will start kindergarten next year) but I can't help but think it's the best for my children. Am I even asking a question? It sounds like I'm talking it out in my head, doesn't it? Well, thanks for listening anyways!!!!
JunBun On Friday, November 21 at 5:26 pm
I must say that I am now 23 year old college boy and was for all 12 years homeschooled. I decided that I wanted out of school for a little while, and so I took a year and a half off before going to college. Some people want to know if homeschooling has effected my ability to perform well in college. Yes it has, but I have overcome these issues.
You see, I was on a self-taught system for my high school years, never challenged to study and be able to test in a time frame. So when I got to college, I only knew how to study from what my dad had done when he was in college while I was 5-10. Additionally, I have overcome thisobstacle, but myself and many other home schooled peers are not used to a time limit on taking exams or quizzes, and therefore I was not at first able to complete my exams at college in time. As these are only problems that need to be addressed, homeschooling is not a bad method for teaching your children, or my children in the future. These obstacles that I mentioned are easily addressed by caring and responsible parents, such as you and your husband. May your guys have a rewarding time instructing your children.
Rosalind On Sunday, November 23 at 3:00 pm
I stumbled across your website earlier today, and it's been wonderful reading through it. It's a little piece of Americana while I'm homesick out here in Taiwan.
Normally, I'm totally against homeschooling, but that could be because, growing up in the suburbs the way I did, it seemed like a really elitist thing to do. However, I also totally get living over an hour away from the nearest school. That would be way too much for an elementary aged kid.
Question: Would you send them to school for high school?
o-girl On Sunday, November 23 at 8:46 pm
I've entertained the thoughts of homeschooling in my head for several years now. I want to know about how the kids go from one "grade" to the next, like end-of-year testing or whatever. Do you have to go by some kind of requirements of the state you live it? I don't even feel qualified to teach anyone older than a 1st or 2nd grader so how would I go about teaching, say, my eleventh grader? I'd appreciate your input and wisdom/knowledge!
Grace G. On Monday, November 24 at 4:51 pm
Hi Ree,
I am a homeschool graduate about to finish my 2 year degree. I have met so many people who are so quick to slap the "unsocialized" stereotype on homeschoolers without really knowing anything about them. Sometimes they will start talking about homeschooling in a negative way without even knowing I was homeschooled and then it is fun to tell them about my homeschooling experience and how wonderful it was for me. I loved being homeschooled and I think it did a lot to prepare me for the social situations I face each day. I fully intend to homeschool my own children someday and I am so excited about it.
Thanks for being so open about your homeschooling lifestyle and for all the tips on curriculum and schooling ideas that you have left on your website. I think it really helps other homeschool families to get ideas and tips from each other. It can be really helpful to try to implement some of the ideas that work for other families into your routine if you are struggling with a particular child or subject during school.
Wendy On Tuesday, November 25 at 4:50 pm
I found your site from a commenter on my blog (talking about cooking recipes), but was so glad to see that you homeschool too. I'll definitely be back when I've got more time.
kelly On Wednesday, November 26 at 2:44 am
at first i was totally against homeschooling, being that my mom is a public school teacher and that's just the way i grew up. the past few years i've researched it and may be pretty much sold on it. my daughter is 3, about to be 4 and we do a lot of teaching naturally right now, with her kind of leading the way (and might i add she is VERY smart :). i have contemplated putting her in pre school next year because she asks about school a lot & says she wants to go with the other kids. i just don't know what to do, but reading about your experience it makes me want to keep the teaching at home. oh, these decisions we have to make as parents, exhausting!!
Tricia On Monday, December 1 at 5:57 am
I have a three year old and I am planning to homeschool her. In these parts of PA we do not have the greatest of schools and that is a major factor in my decision. One question for you…other than the usual frustrations…is it over all an easy, uncomplicated thing? Do you kids like it?
I must say, I am all for the flexibility factor (another reason for the choice). Anyway, props to you taking it on and I am really looking forward to it myself.
Tricia, Tobyhanna, PA
Elisabeth On Tuesday, December 2 at 8:21 pm
I really want to homeschool when we have kids. I live in Ohio, which has a great resource group for Christian homeschooling parents. I was a school teacher for a while, and while I believe in Christian schooling, I firmly believe that the best teachers are parents. Heck, it worked for a good long time before public schooling became the norm.
I think you're about as cool as they get, so if you homeschool, it must be all the rage!
Stephanie On Wednesday, December 3 at 8:57 pm
Dear Ree,
This is a great blog and I have learnt alot from you. Very confident, artistic and joyful. I added your blog to the favorite list and will visit you more often. Have a great day on the ranch.
Tammie On Sunday, December 7 at 1:58 am
Hey Ree and Punkster,
A big hello from one home-schooled farm-girl in Australia and congratulations on giving your punks a head-start in life. As the eldest in a family of five, with a very dedicated mum and dad, I can agree that growing up on the farm, free from the stresses of a 3 hour commute, helping with the cows, horses, chickens, motorbikes, dogs, church friends etc, that homeschooling was a briliant life-style and one that I can only dream of giving my kids one day.
We too had our detractors. Who would have guess years later that instead of growing up spud-picking, illiterate anti-social freaks I am instead a proud, phd holding member of a socially well adjusted family including a budding physician, vet and two engineers – who get out, who party, who hold down jobs {small grin}.
Keep up the good work – your kids'll thank you.
Tammie On Sunday, December 7 at 2:01 am
Opps. . . maybe that ought to be "Punksters" since there are four and all. I will do some type-adjustments on the boastful bits where I claim literacy . . . {grin}. . .
Melissa On Sunday, December 7 at 2:03 am
Ignorantly, I also thought all home schoolers were denim jumper wearers. Having read your story, I totally see and respect your decision to home school. Thank you for opening my eyes!
Rachel On Tuesday, December 16 at 1:31 pm
Oh, I would love to homeschool…..but I am just not disciplined or structured enough. I am in the midst of decicing whether or not to pull my oldest out of 6th grade and finish the year at home. I am happy with my 7-year-old's school and homescholing him is just NOT and option. I am equally anticipating and dreading the day my youngest (who will be 5 in January and will start K next Fall) waltzes off to school. My question is….can I homeschool 1 child? Can I do it for half a year? Can I put her back in school next Fall? I need some direction….pronto
Salvadora On Thursday, December 18 at 4:00 pm
God, I needed to find your website today. Thanks!
Kellene On Monday, December 29 at 5:16 am
What homeschooling curriculum do you use? thanks for your awesome site! I love it!
Debmom4ca On Tuesday, December 30 at 3:15 am
Our HS facilitator told us a sassy answer to give if someone asks you about socialization. Said with a straight face: "We are concerned about the socialization that they miss out on in school too so once a week we beat them up and steal their lunch."
In reality I always wonder why people put socialization ahead of education. I thought school was for learning.
Lisa On Thursday, January 1 at 5:45 am
I enjoyed your article.
We homeschool an 8, 6, and 1 year old (well he unschools really lol!)
We have no socialization problems.
My children are mostly great (oldest has ADHD like me and we both are medicated and it helps soooo much!). I had been introduced to homeschooling via a relative of DH's when oldest was 4 months old. It intrigued me and I spent the next several years researching the topic.
Peer pressure inspired me to look into pre-school, but I always came short of enrolling because I felt like I was "kicking my baby out of the house". It just seemed weird that 3 years prior, I birthed her and suddenly my peers were asking which pre-school I was going to send her too. I listened to my gut and kept her home.
By K, I was actually scared to send her. She was certainly a character and highly creative. I was afraid she was going to get in trouble…A LOT. I was afraid that due to the nature of teaching a large number of children at once, that her creativity would be squashed a bit as a bi-product of the system. Can you believe I NEVER required my child to color in between the lines. I had read that this stifles creativity. At 8 she now colors beautifully in between the lines, but as I had read about it stifling creativity when forced–that is what I mean about her creativity being squashed in school.
Another curious question that I get often is what our plans are for high school. I try to educate folks that we play it by ear as we go along and that there is an abundance of resources to foster parent directed education. (A homeschool friend uses this term.)
I am not anti-public school. Ours are supposedly good. I don't doubt that they are. But I don't think that is a valid enough reason to do that instead of homeschooling.
It does work for our family. I think it could work for many families who are scared to do it as they fear they are unqualified. Certainly it won't work for everybody.
We homeschool for many reasons that will not place us into a perfectly wrapped box.
Those reasons are:
1. We choose to be their #1 peer influence.
2. It affords us flexibility in planning vacations, dealing with illnesses, dealing with life events such as a new sibling or a new cousin, deciding today is just a "tired day"–basically it affords us mucho schedule flexibility.
3. A public school/private school day is roughly 6-8 hours depending on elem/middle/high school not inclusive of commuting or homework. Our education is completed in about roughly 2-3 hours compressed. (we don't often work this straight through.)
4. My kids have more time to be..kids. Lots of play time, lots of extra-curricular time. None of the H word (unless they opt to not complete an assignment).
5. I can have a religion-inclusive education. I consider us a growing in faith family and we can do faith-based activities.
6. We can cater to the kids interest. Logistically this is just not possible in a group education environment.
Often folks ask us–well, why can't you just fill in what the school doesn't teach?
To that I refer to reason #3 of why we homeschool. Why would I have my child spend an exhausting day at school, then do homework, then do additional work to squeeze in the stuff I want them to learn. IF I am going to spend 2 hours a day 5 days a week working with them outside of ordinary school…we can save the kids some time and just have them home to accomplish that. I have never understood that one.
Pioneer woman–you are an inspiration! Thanks!
Sheryl On Sunday, January 4 at 1:28 am
I would love to homeschool but we are Argentines living in Argentina and it is illegal to do so here. However, we have found the next best thing which is what is known here as and experimental school, which is a mix of Montessori and other educational experiences, each grade only has 15 kids in it, and all the grades or groups work in one big room sitting on cushions on the floor in circles with their teachers. I gave up my work as a vet and took teaching courses and am now a teacher at the school and love it, I feel I'm able to make a huge difference to a lot of kids as well as sharing a lot of time with my daughters as we are at the same school. I do homeschool them in English language, as obviously their native language is spanish although I have spoken only English to them from birth, my husband speaks to them in spanish and at ages 8 and 6 they are now practically bilingual.
I guess what I want to say is this, if you are unable to homeschool, for whatever reason, there are ways to help your kids through school anyway if your kids have trouble witha particular subject and you don't have the time to fully homeschool them, you can at least follow a programme for that subject, it is amazing how a fresh way of studying a subject can help.
Ree, I love your site!
Rummy On Wednesday, January 7 at 7:53 pm
I'm 22 now, and a college student and I was homeschooled from fifth grade until my senior year in high school when I got crazy and decided to jump back into public school to take AP English. I just wanted to say, I just found this site and I love it. I am very proud of my homeschool heritage (can I call it that? too late- I did). The only problem I've ever had, if you can call it a problem is that I matured quickly. I spent most of my tweener and teen years around adults (I have much older brothers who were college bound when I was homeschooling), and have always been most comfortable around adults. Anyway, Ree, thank you for this- I can't wait to homeschool my kids (married, but none yet), and you're quickly becoming an inspiration. And to all you parents on the fence about homeschooling because you can't imagine that you can do it- my parents did, neither of them has any college credits, let alone degrees. My mom always referred to herself as a facilitator of learning.
She didn't have to teach everything, she simply had to make the information available to me.
Lora On Thursday, January 8 at 7:16 pm
We have two children, daughter 18 today and a son 19, 20 months apart. We homeschooled my son all except 36 days. My daughter has been homeschoolled all her life. As a family – some times were hard – others glorious. Overall – I thank God we did it. My children are great socially with all ages of folks. Their friends are ours and our friends are theirs. My daughter is a senior and is dual enrolled at a local community college that my son also also attends. They both have just finished this semester with 4.0! They are well rounded socially. Love to cook. Love to read. Swam on a swim team. Play the piano. Love the Lord. Love church. Are not "geeks", but well rounded socially. (Sorry – geeks) Just completed their first Mission trips this past summer.. My daughter went to Belize with "Praying Pelicans" – excellent ministry and my son went to St Vicente on the baja penninsula.
I'm an ex Christian school teacher. I get a little irritated when someone asks a homeschooler about socialization. What they don't realize is that when someone in the teaching profession asks about "socialization" what they are asking is how well does your child function in a classroom situation and are they adapting to it. Do they raise their hands before speaking, sit in their chair during most of the day and not walk around the room, line up and walk behind each other to travel to another location of the building? (What is that all about anyway…..?????) Socialization outside the classroom is not on their minds. This is what others outside the profession think socialization is. How well they interact with others.
Something funny did happen to my son his freshman year in college that I have to share. He had a hard time thinking to raise his hand to speak or ask a question in his classroom. He wasn't used to classroom etiquette. He quickly learned. Who would figure?
I often ask this question of adults who question homeschooling and it's lack of socialization. When was the last time you were in a room with all 40 year olds????? How normal is that?????? ( I will get off my soap box now – sorry) However, I am thankful we homeschooled our children.
Melissa On Thursday, January 8 at 8:54 pm
I was one of the first kids in Texas to graduate from a "home school" and go to college. I ended up in a program that allowed me to use 3 years of college hours to get into law school, so I always joke that I never crossed a stage and got a diploma until I graduated from law school! I graduated and began practicing law when I was 23. I am divorced from the "ex-husband from hell" and I wish I could teach my kids at home, but he would fight to take away custody if I did. All of you who can do so without that kind of complication, please do this for your children. It is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Melinda On Saturday, January 10 at 1:05 am
Well, if you're a nut job, my sister is a nut job, several of my friends/acquaintances are nut jobs, and I'm a nut-job-to-be. We don't homeschool yet, cuz my kids are 4 months and 2.5 years. But as long as I get to stay at home raising the kids, we plan to homeschool. And if my kids turn out as well-rounded, friendly, and incredibly smart as my homeschooled nieces and nephews, I will consider myself lucky!
Sunnie On Wednesday, January 14 at 1:02 pm
I was homeschooled until I reached college and all through college, graduate school and now in my career as a Young Adult Librarian I have received the same backhanded compliment as Laura (comment #5) "wow, I never would have guessed you'd been homeschooled." That always makes me laugh! I was always participating in a lot of extra curricular activities (softball, basketball, drama, art classes, summer camps, etc. etc. etc.) so I guess I picked up some of that public school "cool" factor from my non-homeschooled friends…
Bethany On Friday, January 16 at 2:15 pm
My little Princess Brat will be 4 in April, and I have known I would homeschool her since birth. I was told I would be unable to have children (no fun to hear at 23), so knowing she will more than likely be my only one, makes me VERY reluctant to part with her so that someone else can spend 8 hours a day with my baby.
BUT, when I look over all the things she needs to know for Kindergarten, I get very overwhelmed!!! Can you please tell me if you use a certain curriculum? Or do you make your own? Either way, how do you take ALL the things they need to learn and organize it into lessons?? Is this making sense? How do you "lesson plan"??
I really really want to do this, but I am so overwhelmed with the responsibility of it all, I sometimes think it might just be better to send her to school! I so don't want to do that.
Thank you so much!!
Debbie On Saturday, January 17 at 9:16 pm
We recently decided to homeschool our brood this year. I have an 11, 9, 7 and 3 year old. I love it. And I loved reading your two cents on the matter. Sometimes I secretly want to take my kids back to their old school wearing highwaisted pants, styling a mullet, picking their noses while performing their own spelling bee, but I don't think they would go for it.
I also loved what you said about enjoying family time together. The thing that baffles me the most is when people ask me, "Don't you get sick of them?" Let me think about it….ummm, no. I like my kids. I like hanging out with them. I think they're, dare I say, fun and interesting. Well, thanks for sharing such a positive, happy attitude.
Now I'm off to read to my kids and disect a pig (just kidding about the pig).
Kathleen On Monday, January 19 at 4:26 pm
I substitute teach in our school district, K through 12, district wide.
I used to have misgivings about home schooling. How could parents not certified as teachers possibly provide an adequate education?
And yet the home schooled kids routinely blew the lid off of standardized test scores.
Why? Because their instructors, un-certified though they might be, didn't have to spend fully half their time simply dealing with the behaviors of the wretched little wolverines dumped on them by negligent parents.
My kids are older now but if I had a child just entering the public school system I would most assuredly pull that child and home school. To those considering this option, to those wavering, I say go for it. Trust your instincts.
Brandy On Tuesday, January 20 at 1:41 am
I just found your site and am very impressed. This is my 3rd year homeschooling my kids (10,9,5 and 16months) and my only regret is not having started sooner. WHile I have days where I am asking myself what am I thinking keeping them home, for the most part it has been a very good experience so far.
I am really enjoying reading your entries and look forward to seeing more about homeschooling.
Wendy On Tuesday, January 20 at 4:29 pm
Hello! Thank you for your blog!
I have three children 7, 5, 2. The oldest is in first grade. I have homeschooled him for two years now. It is going well: he is reading pretty well, etc. Here is my question: what does a typical (somewhat laid-back) homeschool day look like for you guys? Especially a first-grader's day?
I started out being really strict and structured. Now, I am finding myself getting more and more laid-back. I need to somehow find my "sweet spot" that is structured enough that I feel like I have accomplished something in our day, but not so structured that it is boring and too regimented.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Heather On Wednesday, January 21 at 3:04 am
I've been using your recipes for quite some time now. (Marlboro man sandwiches are my DH's favorite! He won't allow me to make the chocolate cake because he calls it Satan cake. He eats the whole thing! ) I didn't know you had a homeschool section as well. I'm not sure how I missed it, but it's so great and encouraging!
We have been on the fence about homeschooling for awhile now, but as we get closer to my son entering kindergarten next fall, the more determined I get to homeschool. Reading the positive responses here from adults who were homeschooled is so inspiring! I'm mostly worried about myself being able to meet the demands of homeschooling.
I was a public school teacher for 10 years. I spent 2 years in a horrible district and the rest of my time in a top notch, high scoring affluent district. In both of them I saw so many problems and so many negative influences from peers and parents, and teachers to be honest. The socialization question cracks me up, because I would much rather have my child socialized by our family and people we choose to be friends with than the kids at public school, so many of whom are not parented at all, run wild, and are into dangerous and destructive habits by the time they are in 5th grade. Even in the affluent area, I saw unbelievable neglect and kids parenting themselves. I want to socialize my children to be strong, creative, happy individuals who have a love of learning and no artificial institutional boundaries placed on them. All the homeschoolers I know have great social lives and healthy friendships. They are also able to be friends with kids of all ages because they don't have that peer influence that says it's not cool to be friends with someone younger than you.
Nathan Jarvis On Thursday, January 22 at 10:24 pm
I was homeschooled my entire childhood. I just graduated college and can say that homeschooling was one of the best things that my parents could have done for me. It may be difficult at times in the interim, but homeschooling pays out in the long run.
Allison White On Friday, January 23 at 11:58 am
We live in Gunnison, Colorado, which is a small enough town thaty there is only one public school. And the long and the short of it is that it totally sucks. My 5th grade son recently went through some trouble at school that had lasted almost a whole quarter and his teached only notified us at the end of the quarter when his grades came back mostly C's and D's. he hadn't been doing his work in class or at home, he'd been lying to both her and us about his homework and whether or not he'd done it, and he was perilously close to flunking the quarter and being held back from 6th grade. It just disgusts me to think of what they're NOT being taught in school these days. I would love to give them a Christian-based education too, but as I said, there are no other schools in the valley here, and even if there were, they would probably be cost-prohibitive.
And so, I sit back and watch my 5th grader being ignored and allowed to act up in school, and I shake my head, because there's not much I can do about it. You see, I'm one of those Moms who's TOTALLY new to the job – my husband of a year and a half came with two adorable, affectionate, wonderful little urchins who alternately make me want to pull out my hair or hug them cuz they're so perfect. I've always had my time to myself, and I feel like, at this point in my life, I've sacrificed enough for my sanity. I know that may sound totally horrible to some people, but I cannot homeschool my kids, as much as I would like to, because, quite simply, I know it would push me over the edge.
So my solution to all of the problems we've run into is this: we do extra work at home in the subjects Aaron has trouble in, and we go to church twice a week, we hang out with Christian families, and we do our best to set a Godly, responsible, intelligent example to our kids. We teach them right and wrong, and that evolution isn't right, and that God can do anything, including let them meet their real Mom again in heaven.
We muddle through. That's all there is to it. We muddle through, hope and pray we're doing things right, and eventually, when I meet their real Mom somewhere past this earth, I hope she'll hug me in thanks, and we'll be best friends, because I took up her job for her when she no longer could.
Nadine On Friday, January 23 at 1:54 pm
I just discovered your blog through the Bloggies website. I LOVE your hs section. We live in The Netherlands and are considering hs'ing. It is even more rare here than it is in the US. If we do it, I'll still be working part time. Do you know hs-moms who still work part time?
Anyway, glad to found such a cool hs-mom!
Debbie On Sunday, January 25 at 7:49 am
I just have a couple of questions. My 7 year old son is in 2nd grade and an only child, my husband keeps on talking about homeschooling because my son is being bullied in school and the class sizes are going to be doubled next year due to budget cuts. I was told that the school said it is cheaper to pay the penalties for larger classes than it is to keep teachers on (it's really all about the kids, ha!) Anyway, what do you think of an only child being homeschooled and also do you have a set time each day for teaching? Do they have to be dressed like they are going to school, etc. ? Thank you
Sarah On Wednesday, January 28 at 5:59 pm
As a kid who grew up in a a marginally decent public school, I would like to pipe up about my experiences.
Was I picked on? You betcha – in elementary, middle, and high school, for everything from my clothes to my hobbies to my haircut.
Did I have bad teachers? Oh, definitely – which, unfortunately, is what happens in a profession (the ONLY profession) that offers tenure, forcing schools to keep once good teachers that have soured.
On the flip side, I don't think I would trade the experiences for really anything. Had I been homeschooled, I never would have met the friends that I have now or my fiancee, because the connections would have never been made. I probably wouldn't have had some of the experiences that I had – traveling with a school choral group, theatre competitions, young adult book review groups only offered through the school. I also wouldn't have experienced the bad things, but those things made me grow and shaped me into an individual who is caring and compassionate.
I got through all the hardships of public school and come out a strong, intelligent, ambitious young woman because my parents did what they were supposed to – encouraged me when I was down, disciplined me when I stepped over the line, and gave me good examples to live by.
susannah On Monday, February 2 at 2:22 pm
I can promise you if I had it to do over again I would homeschool my 3 boys! They are all extremely successful men now but we had some terrible times with a few teachers and they would not do well in subjects they seemed to love at home, like history. Anyway, I would definitely do it. I don't think it's for everybody, but for the parent who can make the commitment it's wonderful.
susannah On Monday, February 2 at 2:29 pm
I think it's great that some can but it's not always possible to grow in a positive way through the bad experiences of school. The bullying, the ridicule, the unkindness. MUST we experience the nastiness of others to become kind and compassionate people? I don't think so. A homeschooled kid could just work a summer as a telemarketer to get humiliation and rejection and learn how to shake it off and move on
Nora On Wednesday, February 4 at 11:01 pm
I can't even tell you how happy I am to have found you, lol. This is hilarious and more importantly REALLY helpful for me. I am going through the "color coded dot chart" phase in my head right now. Must…stop…thinking….
Newlywed Wife On Friday, February 6 at 9:16 am
I was homeschooled from kindergarten until I decided that I'd had enough when I was 15. College was finished by 19, and I had a master's at 20. My entire job revolves around being a people-person and MASSIVE amounts of socialization…contrary to popular opinion, homeschoolers CAN be normal Good for ya'll!
Kait On Friday, February 6 at 11:48 am
I'm thrilled to hear your open and honest views on homeschooling, and on making the decision to do so! I am so proud of my parents for deciding the same thing 15 years ago when I was a wee kiddie. They're also NOT the denim jumper type. My parent's friends were all befuddled by their decision, as many of my friends have been throughout the years…but when I try to think of my childhood in a linear modern education system, I'm repulsed. I had such a wonderful life learning at home with my younger brothers and hanging out with friends on the weekends. I never missed an essential childhood experience (if such a thing exists) and am far more grounded and balanced than many of my friends in college. "Grounded" and "balanced" does not mean I don't have fun :] Currently I'm at junior in nursing school at UAH, BSN class of 2010 (when I'm 20 :]).
I'm always happy to have people choose the odd path, as long as they believe it's right for their family. So much good can grow from it! I'm wishing you the best, and stalking your website regularly
Neasa On Saturday, February 7 at 10:04 pm
Oops, I read the homeschooling bits in the wrong order and I have questions in another post! Although I don't homeschool I admire you and those who do. I know I wouldn't have the patience and also my geography is a bit iffy!
Do you ever look over while your teaching and think "I'll just put a load of washing on" or "I'll stick dinner on while they're writing"??? The only time I get to clean the house is while my punks are in school. When do you do it? While they're out chasing cattle?!!!!
I wish you and your punks all the best with ye're education and I bet your kids will be more equipped than most to deal with real life when they venture out into it. I think ye are giving your kids a great education and I'm not talking about Math!
crazy clemson mom On Monday, February 9 at 2:26 pm
Just wanted to say I did not home school but wish I did. I have one child in college for Information Systems Managemet and One in Nuclear Pharmacy schoool. I am happy with their achievements, but we live rural and we spent way to many hours in the mini van. 12 years running back and forth. Some wonderful moments and some screaming moments. I would do it all over in a flash if i could and home school, I loved raising my kids. Good luck and bless you on a job well done. ps. i work at home and can still see the school bus fly by at 4:40pm. Your sweeties will not miss a thing.
Sarah On Tuesday, February 10 at 12:15 am
I was homeschooled all 12 years and I will homeschool our children. There's a lot I could say on this topic. Feel free to email me if you have specific questions (link to my website).
The one thing I will say is that you can't shelter your kids. There's a lot of crap out there, and at some point they will have to deal with it. Your job is to teach them how to deal with it in a mature manner. Homeschooling is about tailoring things to the way they learn specifically and spending one-on-one time with them in areas they struggle with, not to mention building your relationship. Who knows what they need better than you?
Crystal On Wednesday, February 11 at 10:20 pm
I am so glad I found you through my cousins blog. I have a little boy and want to homeschool him as he gets older, I hope I can learn a lot from you!!!
Laura On Saturday, February 14 at 10:01 pm
hey ree… what cirriculum did you ultimately good with? I'd love to get some information on it,
ann On Tuesday, February 17 at 1:48 am
darn, wanna to vote love to homeschool and coffee ice cream.
onecrazymama On Tuesday, February 17 at 12:23 pm
I'd feel a lot better about all the parents homeschooling their children if they could spell, construct a sentence properly, knew the difference between plural 's' and possessive 's', and knew how to punctuate a sentence. I realize that English isn't everyone's strong point but ohmygosh, reading through these posts is painful. If you can't write, or spell, or construct a sentence, how can you teach your kids? I am a HUGE fan of homeschooling so I'm not picking on you because I don't approve. Please tell me that you have help in this area. It is so important for your children to be able to communicate well if they are going to get anywhere in life. On any other blog, I am not as critical. But really, think about it. What kind of example are you setting for your children, that mediocrity is acceptable? That it isn't important to do things correctly? You (mostly) mothers need to brush up before you consider yourselves doing an acceptable job of teaching your children.
Stephanie On Saturday, February 21 at 12:11 pm
I AGREE with you completely and any homeschooling mom would have to agree that there are times when we want to send our kids to the North pasture…. LOL, for me, my daughter gets the prize of a nice 2 day visit to G-ma's house. I have found this past year, it being my first year as a homeschooling mom, 2 days is all I need. I go through the normal withdrawal symptoms which vary from: guilt to glee to having let her go but in the end, I am better for it and so is she. I found this site from another site. Happy I did.
Lisa On Saturday, February 21 at 3:44 pm
I love reading on your site, Ree. Keep it coming!
We will be homeschooling full-time next year. My oldest is in K right now because I got cold feet and enrolled him. I'm looking forward to school at home next year!
Melissa On Sunday, February 22 at 7:26 am
Even as a public school teacher myself, I firmly believe everyone has a right to homeschool their children. That doesn't mean everyone should, but from what I can tell you do a great job. It's parents like you, Ree, who dedicate the time and energy to it, whose children find success. Look at Christopher Paolini who wrote Eragon–homeschooled. When you add in the travel time, and I know what it's like to live 20 miles from the nearest school, I would be lying to say I haven't considered it myself.
Bubba On Tuesday, February 24 at 12:57 pm
I wus homskooled…its relly gret….
the domestic fringe On Thursday, February 26 at 8:46 pm
Although I said I never would, I'm contemplating homeschooling next year. It's the flexibility that seems so tempting. I also want our family to really mesh and be super tight. I'm just not sure I won't eat my kids by the end of the first month.
Tabitha On Friday, February 27 at 8:56 pm
I foudn your site…. Well frankly I don't remember how I found your site, but I love it…
When I first read your Blog on teaching cows ballet positions I thought to myself is this me… I was a city girl now living in the country, with my Cowboy Hubby, who does silly things to pass the time with the cows too…My hubby also leaves me to guard fences while he does whatever he needs to do… Really … I often wonder if the Momma's are saying to the babies "I love you Tootsie" and the baby is saying "I wov ew tue Momma"…And I tell you I really do think my bottle babies think I'm their Momma…
Anyhow I have been giving homeschooling a lot of research over the past year and totally agree with everything you mentioned above. The family time with dad working cows, to just being a team. I can't wait for this school year to end and start our hoeschooling adventure…
Love the site!
Tabitha Davis
Carole On Sunday, March 1 at 3:47 pm
I love your blog – started when a friend sent me your crashed potato recipe- noticed you're a homeschooler –
that did it – we're just finishing up our 10th and final homeschool year (alhough the child is staying here while she's starting college so not that much will change).
I'm so glad we did it – and envy you your years to come. ENJOY!
Julie On Wednesday, March 4 at 4:02 pm
I agree that parents who choose to home school should use proper English and grammar. However, what really irritates me is, when paid professional teachers talk and write like uneducated idiots! And, then have the nerve to degrade home schoolers! How sad. And sometimes when people are typing, they get in a hurry and forget to be grammatically correct. We are all human.
Nicole On Friday, March 6 at 8:12 pm
First off the picture of your daughter in the green hat and shades just slays me!! I LOVE it!! She is too cute. I found your blog about a week or so back and have really enjoyed it. You are a really gifted person. I started home schooling my children a year and a half ago. I would be lying if I told anyone that there some days aren't a challenge – – but all in all home schooling is worth it. My children are much happier at home than they were in public school. Therefore, I am a happier Mommy. You are right in saying that home schooling is not for everyone. I agree with that. I just works for us.
Anam Cara On Saturday, March 14 at 5:48 am
We started homeschooling in 1985 when our oldest began 1st grade. We home schooled her through 10th grade. The other 3 all began with kindergarden and transitioned to traditional school at 9th grade. I have 37 "years" of home schooling under my belt (if you count each child's year as 1 year for me.) This May the youngest graduates from college! Every one of them received scholarships of various amounts. I voted that I homeschooled, but my kids have "flown the coop."
I am looking forward in 2 more years to homeschooling a grandchild who lives close by. …As soon as she is old enough!
Angie On Saturday, March 14 at 7:32 am
I just found you and LOVE your blog, along with the rest of the world it seems! I think we may be sisters, i don't know, but in the least, kindred spirits:) I will be reading your homeschool posts and trying to catch up, but do you recommend any good books or websites for the beginner home-schooler? I am a SAHM of three, ages 7 mos to 4 yrs and I am heeding the call to homeschool (or some variation of maybe, ie. university model schooling). We're going COUNTER-CULTURE baby! I would love to read practical day to day stuffs on homeschooling, but also would love encouraging, perspective, life-giving info on living out this "world-view" that we have.
When I close my eyes and imagine an ideal life for my family of 5, it's so similar to your pics and posts. I'm so happy my photog friend passed on your blog…she knew I'd love the pics, now I've discovered so much more.
Also, maybe you say somewhere on here..or maybe it's private info, but where in OK do you live? My hub is from Velma, I lived in Tulsa for 5 yrs, and my dad was born in Enid so we have an affinity for OK:)
Mary Hines On Sunday, March 15 at 4:39 pm
I am a homeschool survivor! My kids are 20, 22 and 24 and our oldest married a beautiful young lady who was also homeschooled and she just blessed us with our first grandson! Homeschooling was so good for us as a family. We are all best friends and continue to "hang" out together.
I would love to encourage all of you young homeschool moms – persevere, its worth it. Most days, I miss it. I do think that you should get a trophy when you finish homeschooling. I haven't received one yet! There is still time!
Kristen On Monday, March 16 at 9:13 am
We are just wrapping up our first year of home schooling and we absolutely LOVE it!
If you had told me a few years ago I'd be a home school Mom, I would have laughed out loud!!! That being said, I can't tell you how it has unified our family.
My kids actually have more time to participate in activities because we are not tied to a traditional school day schedule. Its been amazing.
Looking forward to Year 2.
Mom to an 8, 6, 4, 2 and almost new.
georgie On Tuesday, March 17 at 5:59 am
Ree – when I was in my first year of teaching and full of it, my dad would rebut most of my high flying teaching theories with his one-room-schoolhouse experiences. He was the little kid getting to listen to what the big kids were being taught and because of it advanced as fast as his curiosity and intelligence let him.
Andrea Kidney On Tuesday, March 17 at 12:22 pm
Hi Ree,
I am a stay @ home momma with 3 sons! A 9 year old ~ 3rd gr, a 5 year old ~ prek, and a 2 year old. We have decided to pull our 3rd grader out of public schooling effective immediately. I am in great need of some direction of where to start, and what laws I am facing in Oklahoma regarding homeschooling. I have done some researching, but would love to talk to someone that has done this personally. I live over near Shawnee in the town of Tecumseh. I am so pumped about beginning homeschooling, yet extremely apprehensive. My husband is not super keen on the idea, but I believe he will come around. I feel so strongly that this is what I am supposed to do. I plan on teaching my kids about the world of photography in addition to implementing God's Word into our curriculum, both of which they are extremely interested in. If you have any advice, or could lead me in the direction of the best place for me to learn about homeschooling, I would be so appreciative! Thank you very much, and I really enjoy your blog, and I love, love your actions! ~
Missy On Wednesday, March 18 at 5:59 am
Oh, THANK YOU! My husband and I split the homeschooling of our 5yo twins between us, and we love the benefits. Teaching math to my very un-logical twin makes me crazy sometimes. Ex:
"Laurel, the fish costs 5 cents, and the bear costs 3 cents. Which one costs more?"
"The fish."
"Good, Lala. Why?"
"Because I like fish."
So, I agree, it's not all a bowl of cherries. It's beautiful, frustrating, precious, and crazy. But the socialization part? My retort: Who in their right mind actually thinks that the PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM is the optimum source for learning social skills?
Thanks for your blog. I'll be here a lot, especially since I like to cook and shoot photographs.
Marissa On Saturday, March 21 at 12:58 am
Dear Ree,
I don't think I can think of anything original to say, so I'll stick to sincere—thanks for your website…your stories, your photos, and your humor, and your candid take on the crazy-wonderful world that is homeschooling. You lifted my soul today.


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greenwave08 - umeducated and dont ?
Matthewnola - "it is New Orleans after all". Poor grammar, please revise.
Nodave - What is a TIGGER ? Are you trying to be stupid ?
Gonejunkin - Come on GUBER, you never end a sentence with a preposition. You must be from the parish.
rocketranch - You can't be a rocket scientist if you haven't heard of Alex Box.
Monkeymans - Go take care of your assessment and quit worrying about LSU. Take a hike.
cajundelyte - i'm happy for you, but get a real life or a job
nolalarry - quit looking for a handout. You have to produce before you get the business
nolalarry - quit looking for a handout. You have to produce before you get the business
What was the comment from time2purge ?
Time2 - It may be time for you to purge. Bug off
You got that right FayAnn
The hostages are already out. Only the gunman remains inside. CAJUNDELYTE read the full story.

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An interesting sideline to this story is the result of the Extreme Makeover gift. The Corvallis family chosen for the gift of a house also found that the maintenance, taxes, etc were beyond their means.
Sadly, their little girl was sick & died shortly after moving in er new home.
Why would any of us think Sam Adams would have a problem with Goldschmidt's picture or behavior? He would most likely find the sexual exploitation of a child perfectly acceptable since he engaged in it himself. The real question is: Why would the good citizens of Portland tolerate leaders like Sam and Neil? At least in Neil's case the public didn't know about his criminal actions until after he left office. In Sam case, people know but don't care. To the rest of the country the message is that anything goes in Portland.
thank you Dave for reminding us of the senile senator from WV, Bobby "Sheets" Byrd, a senile democrat who mercifully finally died.
Thank you dave900 for reminding us of Senator Bobby "Sheets" Byrd, (D-WV) who literally died on the floor of the Senate at about 105 years old.
Wonder how many other Wu-like people are representing us in state, local & national legislative bodies. In Wu's case, nothing mattered but the "D" beside his name since it appears that his issues were well known in political circles. Interesting that the Oregonian would make a big deal out of an attempted rape of a like-aged woman during Wu's college years but gave Neil Goldschmidt a wink & a nod when he raped a 13-year-old babysitter.
The really important number, rangwrduck, is 2---thats the number of times in as many years that the ducks have made a**es out of themselves in BCS games. LOL
It's "moron" folks, not "maroon".
Excellent idea! How about it Neil? If you're truly sorry for what you did to this poor girl, and who knows how many others, surrender to the authorities & begin doing hard time for the repeated rape of this vivtim.
Oh really? How has Neil paid for this crime? He is a pedophile, plan & simple & repeatedly raped this girl. Did you read the article & hear her words? I just wonder how many other children have been the victims of his depravity.
Wrong again & as usual John. The ducks still aren't ready for prime time!


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Ariel Kelly, a Park and Recreation graduate who is a park ranger at Yosemite National Park, was interviewed as part of a program feature that highlights beautiful places in America.
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After KB Home experienced a loss of 10 cents a year ago, analysts predict positive news when the company reports this year's third quarter numbers on Tuesday, September 24, 2013. They expect a profit of 20 cents a share.
The consensus estimate remains unchanged over the past month, but it has increased from three months ago when it was 15 cents. Analysts are expecting earnings of 37 cents per share for the fiscal year. Revenue is expected to be $569.3 million for the quarter, 34% higher than the year-earlier total of $424.5 million. For the year, revenue is expected to come in at $2.15 billion.
For the past three quarters, the company has seen revenue increase. In the second quarter, revenue rose 24% to $524.4 million while the figure rose 58% in the first quarter from the year earlier and 20% in the fourth quarter.
Other companies in the capital goods sector reporting earnings soon are PulteGroup PulteGroup, The Ryland Group and Lennar Lennar. PulteGroup is expected to report earnings of 40 cents per share on Thursday, October 24, 2013, The Ryland Group is expected to report earnings of $1.14 per share on Thursday, October 24, 2013 and Lennar is expected to report earnings of 60 cents per share on Thursday, October 24, 2013.
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HBO Go subscribers can stream over AirPlay
With the latest update of its content streaming app, HBO includes the ability to connect to Apple devices over the wireless technology.
HBO will now allow HBO Go subscribers to stream programing from their Apple mobile devices to their TVs over AirPlay.
Eric Kessler, HBO's chief operating officer, announced the news at an All Things D conference today, saying that HBO is adding the feature as part of an update to its iOS app today, according to All Things D.
AirPlay is a wireless technology that lets users stream content from one Apple device to another.
Kessler also said that the company plans to get HBO programming on Apple TV eventually. It's already available on other devices, including the Xbox and Roku .
According to HBO's Web site, the feature is available for Apple devices with iOS 6 and Apple TV devices running 5.1.1 or higher.


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Drummers and bands: Think globally
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keep it simple
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Re: Drummers and bands: Think globally
Originally Posted by
Although in Europe we've got to be careful not to steal the show from Andy and PQleyR!
Yeah, butt outa my yard man!
Seriously, you're welcome anytime.
Nice piece of info there Ian. I left a comment. A composite approach is required in many cases, Being successful, at least to the point of filling venues, has great band value on your local scene. If nothing else, it offers good gigging opportunities. Not only is this great fun, but it gets the band tighter & pays some bills. You can build a local online fanbase from that, & use that fanbase to further multiply exposure via their contacts. To do that, you need content. In some ways, that comes back to gigs. They provide the money to record stuff, & also provide great photo/video opportunities. Once you're into original material, a website with download & pay features is your critical mass hub, with all other E tools feeding it (FB, MS, etc).
I'm in a similar boat Ian. The business has changed beyond recognition since I stomped the boards 25 years ago, & for the small time guy like me, in a very positive way. All my old fart comrades should embrace these new opportunities with both arms. It's great!
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Green's green grass of home
Last updated at 10:38, Thursday, 07 February 2013
Andrew Clarke meets Whitehaven AFC coach Stuart Green and hears how he lived his footballing dream
HE'S played with Alan Shearer, negotiated contracts with Sir Bobby Robson – and even made sure David Ginola was well-stocked with his post-match wine and cigarettes. It's fair to say that Stuart Green has lived the dream.
A top-level football career spanning more than a decade took him from Marchon FC to the Millennium Stadium – via an unforgettable spell at Newcastle United – touching the heights of promotion and big contracts to the lows of injuries and managerial bust-ups.
And speaking from his new position, in the dug-out of his hometown team Whitehaven AFC, Stuart reflects on a career he describes simply as "one big adventure".
"All I ever wanted to do was play football," says Stuart, 31. "From kicking a ball about in my back garden with my brother, Stephen, to five-a-sides at Whitehaven Sports Centre, playing for St Benedict's School and at Marchon [who would become Whitehaven AFC], I was only ever interested in becoming a pro."
The night Stuart 'made it' came on August 25, 1999, when he took his place on the subs' bench for Newcastle for the first time in their Premiership clash with arch rivals Sunderland. But it was no ordinary subs bench.
"I got to the ground and I had been named as a sub. I had been doing well in training and for the reserves, but this was still a massive thing for me at only 18. On the subs list there was me, Aaron Hughes, goalkeeper Steve Harper – then unbelievably Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson.
"Manager Ruud Gullit left probably the country's two best strikers at the time on the bench. It caused a sensation. The cameras spent more time focusing on the bench that night than the game! At one point, Shearer nudged me and said: 'Do you know these cameras are here for you!'"
Stuart didn't get on the pitch that night – and it was the closest he came to playing for Newcastle's first team – but it was a night he'll never forget.
"Being part of it was amazing; 57,000 people there and you feel they're all looking at you! It was a proud day for my family and a dream come true for me."
His connection with Newcastle had started six years previously, when he was spotted during a try-out game at Whitehaven Miners FC.
"Newcastle scout Peter Foley brought their under-14s to Whitehaven to have a look at what we had here. I was only 12 in an under-14s game so only got on for the last 15 minutes.
"After the game, a man I now know as John Murray [Newcastle's youth development officer] came over and asked me outright if I wanted to be a pro footballer. I said 'yes' and he replied 'you will be' and walked off.
"My dad, Ian, had been my coach right through the age groups and he was fantastic; he always told me what was expect of me and made me want to work at my game. Once this interest from Newcastle came, we spent every spare minute training and working hard. In a way, I wish I had given more to school – St Benedict's was a terrific place – but it was football 24/7."
Stuart couldn't sign schoolboy terms with Newcastle until he was 14, so continued to play locally and in the youth set-up at Carlisle United. But when the time came, he signed for Newcastle despite interest from Manchester United, Liverpool and Blackburn; a two-year schoolboy deal followed by a two-year apprenticeship.
"During the schoolboy years [14 to 16], I still lived at home and my dad drove me over for training and games after school and at weekends. I got a shock because I was so far behind the other players in terms of technique, so I needed to practice every night in order to progress as I did.
"They also encouraged us to train with the first team, managed at the time by Kenny Dalglish. So I'd be a 15-year-old schoolboy in a geography lesson one day, and training with Shearer, Ginola, Peter Beardsley, Rob Lee the next. It was superb."
He moved over to Newcastle when he signed £55-per-week YTS forms at 16 and lived in a hotel for the next two years while playing for the youth team trying for a pro contract, alongside the likes of the Caldwell brothers (Gary and Steven) and Shola Ameobi.
In the meantime he was assigned a pro "to look after" – French maestro David Ginola. "I had to do everything for him; clean his boots, run his bath, make sure he had his wine and cigarettes for after the game. What a guy – and what a player."
Another icon in the Newcastle dressing room was Alan Shearer. "He and I were once injured at the same so we spent a lot of time in rehab together. He's a real gent and really cared about me and wanted to help me through my injury."
D-day came in the summer of 1999 and, to Stuart's joy, he was awarded a one-year pro contract. During a first season filled with upheaval – including the Sunderland game which was soon followed by Gullit's resignation – Sir Bobby Robson came in as manager and offered Stuart a four-and-a-half year deal.
"That was a major step for me, I had grown in stature and Sir Bobby liked me as a player. I thought I deserved a shot in the first team at that time, but it didn't come."
He asked to go on loan to Carlisle – then languishing near the bottom of the football league – and Sir Bobby reluctantly agreed. His first professional game followed – a 0-0 draw at Swansea – and then his first goal in the next – in a 3-1 win against Rushden & Diamond at Brunton Park.
On his return to Newcastle, it became apparent his first-team chances would be limited so he opted for a move to Hull City – signing for £150,000 on a three-year deal in 2002.
He enjoyed a fine career at Hull – with a second loan at Carlisle in the middle – and scored 18 goals in 123 games during an upwardly mobile time for the club. His next port of call was Crystal Palace, where he spent two seasons, before departing for what turned into an unhappy spell at Blackpool in 2008.
Badly affected my the sudden death of his mother, Judith, Stuart admits to "losing interest" in the game during that time. "That was a killer for me. She was my best friend and my number one fan, and when she died, football didn't matter."
He got the coaching bug at Blackpool, and was involved in their youth setup, but, on the pitch, he started to struggle with injuries. He moved to Wycombe Wanderers – linking up for the third time with manager Peter Taylor – but at only 28, he knew his time was winding down.
"My son Joshua was born and he became my priority – and I wanted to bring him home." A contract offer from Workington Reds gave him this chance and he penned a two-year deal there in 2011.
"There are some terrific people at Workington but I was injured on my debut and it was stop-start. Things just didn't work out there."
A way out for both parties was offered last summer by Bill Robson, chairman of Whitehaven AFC, when he approached Stuart to become their new manager.
"I'm loving being here. We have a great bunch of lads, and although it's early days, we can really go places here.
"My football career was amazing; one big adventure. And now I'm here at Whitehaven AFC at the start of another one."
First published at 10:34, Thursday, 07 February 2013
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk
Have your say
I support Hull City, and Stuart was my favourite player throughout his time at our club. It was always a pleasure to see him playing because he was such a skillful player. All the best Stuart!
Stuart -am originally from the area-did you spend any time with jim nelson at the club?a good friend of mine-have nt seen him for years but was a top man-I believe he is still there at 68!
Good luck with new job
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