A funny thing happened on the way to (home) school

I've heard it a million times. Those poor home school kids. They are so socially deprived.

I have wondered 100 times how our friends who do school at home can make it through the day cooped up in the living room instead of interacting for six hours with a class full of their peers. Well, I'm finding out.

Um..., it's called:

home school hike
home school swim
home school gym
home school field trips
home school park play dates

Then there's:
home school basketball
home school soccer
home school band
home school choir
home school art class

Oh, and:
Christian Youth Theater
home school day at the museum
home school day at LegoLand
home school day at Six Flags

And I almost forgot to even mention the home school co-op.

It's gotten to the point that I can't even open my e-mail everyday. I keep thinking, "When, exactly, are we supposed to do HOME SCHOOL?!"

I've pretty much been giving a blanket "no" to all of the opportunities that seem to be available.

But after three days, we are starting to get into a routine. And today the kids got done early enough to head to home school swim at our local park district for the afternoon.

I have to say that I'm amazed at how happy my children have been this week.

They have spent the warm afternoons playing outside with friends, riding bikes and going to the park. When they were in private school, they rarely had time for more than an hour of play time between getting home from school and starting homework.

They are so UNstressed. And, amazingly enough, so am I. I'm used to running. Juggling. Talking on my cell phone on the commute to and from school. Making dinner and rushing out of the house so I could go do something business-related.

Our whole life is just. so. calm.

I know this is NOT for everyone. In fact, I'm not even trying to recommend it! (Just to make my view point very CLEAR, I think that whatever school situation works for YOU, that is the BEST choice! And this is coming from someone who was planning to public school, then switched to private and now is trying something new.)

Doing school at home definitely takes discipline. It's not going to be nearly as fun when it's cold outside, and they can't spend the late afternoon hours on their bikes.

But we are taking it one day at time. And I think our whole family is starting to realize just how stressed we have been. How busy. How rushed. Surprisingly enough, this week has been, well,... fun!

P.S. Did you enter my drawing yet?!?! You still have time...

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