Home school rock climbing

   Today is what I like to call a wash. Our Cooking group was postponed until next week, so I thought great, we can catch up on some school work. Not so much..After some unexpected errands in the morning, I realized some days you just have to give up the dream of it being a productive academic day. At around noon, I realized how it was going and just decided to take Sarah to Homeschool Rock Climbing. 2 hours for 10 bucks, you cant beat that except that I bought a $6 smoothie from the gym cafe..so I guess you can beat it. This is a sport that Sarah loves! She climbs up that wall like a little monkey with no fear. It is two hours that I get to catch up on phone calls or read.  Not much learning today, but there is always tomorrow. When I feel guilty, I remember that the public school will only go to school 12 days of a possible 22 in March. I guess you could call today a teacher institute day.

No more Gluten, maybe

I think because we have had this little burst of summer, our brains have decided that summer is actually here....unfortunately it's not and we still have full time school for over 2 more months. I know if it is hard for me, it is quadroopilly hard for Sarah, (I know it's not a word, that's why I made the spelling extra fun).

Luckily we started early in the day so we were able to get a lot done. Around 1:30 we decided to go the Trader Joe's.  I have been entertaining the idea of a gluten free diet for years but have never really committed to it. I have no doubt that we would be healthier, exercise wouldn't hurt either but I don't want to go all out crazy. It turns out Trader Joe's has a lot of Gluten free items and they are only about three times the price of the regular things. How come every time you take something out of food, the price goes up, sugar, fat, salt, caffeine, and gluten? I think to compensate, a bag of sugar and a carton of salt should be given away free with every order. 


Sarah had a great time at the store, she had her list  of gluten free items and read all the labels. My fear is that she will end up living on Chex cereal and Fritoes. Turns out..snacks are not the problem when going gluten free.  I have to roll my eyes a little to think I am one of those Moms, just last week I heard myself saying..I could be Vegan.  


Through the homeschool community, I have met many people with varying opinions about diet and how it relates to behavior. I think much of it is valid, but also individualized. What works for one kid has little effect on another and what one parent perceives as an impact another can barely recognize.  I think it can all be summed up by one statement. 
                               
                  Don't let your kids eat crap and make them run around. 


If that involves chasing them to pry the Oreos out of their hands than so be it.

Spring!

       Something oddly wonderful and a little unnerving is happening in Chicago. It is mid March and Spring had sprung. I don't mean it is peaking through the sky to say hello, I mean it is here in full force sitting on my deck waiting for the burgers to be done. The tulips are sprouting and the trees are flowering and everyone is confused and a little giddy. Shorts and tank tops adorn the whitest of arms and legs and no one cares! It Spring!  Neighbors are outside commenting on how much the toddlers grew over the winter..but really what winter. The snow blower still has gas in it and the firewood was hardly touched. Chicago, you should be ashamed of yourself. You call that a winter. This is a town where Easter egg hunts are often snowed out and  the last frost may come just shy of Mother's Day. But I forgive you for this  blip, this anomaly this pleasant surprise and hope you don't take it out on us in Summer. For now, all I can say is Thank you Mother Nature! For once I get to  go on Spring Break even if it is in my own back yard!

Kid teaches Mom

     Sometimes in our efforts to pack everything into a school day we revert to what we know. What I know is traditional school and although I realize it is not the best model, it quickly becomes my default. I can basically end up lecturing and  giving out worksheets if I am not careful. I have to admit, there are days when it is just easier.


    I looked at Sarah during a lesson on cells and she looked totally bored. So I decided to switch it up a bit. I gave her the materials and told her I would be back in 30 minutes for my lesson, (at which time I took a well deserved break and read O magazine) She had to teach me about single cells, multicellular organisms, bacteria, protozoans and amoebas. What kid doesn't want to be the teacher?   She did great and we both learned a lot.   Sarah likes to be the boss which is tough because I like to be the boss too.  Of course when she does it, it is bossy and disrespectful and when I do it, it is parenting.


Sometimes I find the best solution is sitting right in front of you. One of my favorite quotes is " If you can't explain something simply then you don't understand it well enough" I'm not sure if that is it exactly but you get the idea....I think Einstein said it but I could be wrong...I got it off Pinterest. 


If anyone reading this blog has never heard of Pinterest..google it and say goodbye to your life. I know  people say smoking is hard to kick but...ohhh this Pinterest is a tough one.  There are a ton of great home school ideas if you are tempted.. but you have been warned.


I think I may have Sarah research and teach a lesson once a week. She's smart, likes to talk and can use the internet just like me. I'll let you know how it goes.

Needed: a new face for home schoolers

Because I haven't been watching TV and my time  on the Internet is spent....um lesson planning..yeah that's it planning lessons, I have missed some of the the Republican commentary.   How did I miss that Rick Santorum home schooled his kids or something like that.? You know it is very trendy now. everyone is doing it! Well, I certainly am glad that the national spokesperson for home schooling has shifted from Michelle Dugger(who is is the sweetest person on the planet) to Rick Santorum (who is the craziest person on the planet).  Yea!! At the risk of this blog becoming political I have to ask myself, what the hell?


Please come forward all you parents that are fed up with education(not you..sit down Rick). Everyone else who feels that they can do better. Many of us have taken the plunge, not because the schools are immoral  or evil but because we think the model may be flawed and our kids can actually learn better in a different environment.  We respect educators and education and reject ability grouping and teaching to the test. We would love the state to do better and know that reform will eventually take place, but until then we choose to take on the privilege of guiding and teaching our children ourselves.


Yes, it is becoming downright popular. Perhaps this  community, that once prided themselves as being off the grid, is now being viewed in a different light. The attention is mostly good but a little bad as well. With attention comes scrutiny. I am new to this, so I am by no means an authority but I do know it is one of the most personal choices a family can make. It is seldom taken lightly. When Bill Gates pulled their kids out of school for a year while they were travelling, no one commented, nor should they have. I am only mentioning it myself because Bill Gates is cool( In that nerdy Zuckerburg sort of way).


As the debate over public education rages on, the home school community grows in numbers and not for the reasons you would normally think. We left a religious(catholic) school for academic reasons not the other way around. Surprisingly, we are not alone.


No agenda Homeschool said it better..check out this link
http://www.noagendahomeschool.com/blogs/news/5820234-there-isn-t-one-face-of-homeschooling

Oh Happy Day!

It is never a good thing when a store closes, jobs are lost and communities suffer, but I have to say if it is going to happen, I am so glad I got there early. Some may not know this about me, but I have a thing for office supply stores. Some women like shoes or chocolate but I crave file folders and colored paper.


Today was a happy day for me. The Office Max in a nearby town is going out of business....I just lost my breath a little thinking about it.  I heard the news and jumped in the car to drive 30 minutes in rush hour. My adrenalin was pumping. YES! I got there and the whole store was 50% off (excluding computer stuff..but who cares about that). Folders, highlighters, binders, paper, pens and the holy grail..Post-its. For those of you who are amateurs, you should know that the best you will ever do on post-its is buy 1 get 1 half off. The sales associate asked me if he could help me and I explained that I needed to do this my way. He understood.  I circled once to access and then proceeded down each aisle. At the checkout..It just got even better..the candy and diet coke was 50% off too!!


I love the thought of getting organized without actually ever being organized. Weird I know.. I will always crave the perfect home office and home school.  Maybe my  desire to home school is deeply routed in the thought of school supply shopping all year long. Maybe I am just looking for an excuse and Sarah is just my pawn in this game. I Once thought of working at an Office Max but felt that if I saw the inner workings, it would taint my memories. I feared they would put me in copy max and I would have to listen to some lame customer complain about their  business cards, all the while the sharpies needed to be straightened and colorized. All fantasies aside, it was a great day. Oh did I mention that after dinner I went back for more.... I now get to sort everything ..It is going a long (and fun ) night.

Anderson Cooper

    I just watched the Anderson  Cooper show about Adhd,  which also talked about unschooling.  I know it's lent and I gave up TV but I made an exception because it was kind of like research..Right? Well, in true form they were talking about medication and they had two examples. The sane mom who has her kid in school and medicates. She was sympathetic and sweet and you could totally  feel her struggle. She was nonjudgmental and typical of so many  parents out there.  Then we have the example of a Mom against medication, who surprise.. surprise,  unschools. All I could say is Oh Crap! Why couldn't my side get the normal one. Although the unchooling mom has great points, she was judgey and annoying and talked about how before 1850, everyone was homeschooled. Well guess what? before 1850 there was slavery and women couldn't vote. That is a ridiculous argument. You had a national forum and you blew it. After watching that show I wanted to Medicate Sarah and send her off to school.
It is no wonder that people think homeschoolers are religious zealots or frustrated hippies. Just so you know, I have met none of those..Okay I met one but that doesn't count. 


I have three goals for this blog. 1) keep an accounting of our progress 2) post links of stories of cool homeschoolers and 3) never use the word journey in my writing (after 10 seasons of The Bachelor, I can never look at that word the same way.. except of course, if I am referring to the most awesome band ever!!)


In closing, the best part of the show was Anderson Cooper himself who I haven't seen since Fat Tuesday and I can honestly say I have missed. I have to thank my sister for tipping me off to this episode which I taped. On April 9th I am taking a sick day and watching 40 days worth of Anderson Cooper and The real Housewives....I can't wait..See.. Homeschoolers aren't all crazy.