Changes

Wow. September already? When you homeschool, you don't really *notice* September so much. It's not a deadline, it's just another month as you slowly slip from summer into fall. Not this year...

See this smiling boy? He's heading off to HIGH SCHOOL next week.

Of course, NOW he looks like this..

What can you do? They grow, they expand, they head off to explore the world...

We've been homeschooling for the last four to five years. While not a totally sheltered and bubble-like existence, we have had some unprecedented control over our lives, our schedules, our teen-angst attitudes.. We work when we need to, sleep a little more when we need to, follow our interests and fascinations. The seasons came when they came, and we weren't hanging on for vacations or back-to-school sales to accumulate the necessary *stuff* before the D-day of school starting.

It's kind of funny really, I'm finding that kids going to school is going to put a huge damper on my ability to be flexible. Our lives are being shoved into this arbitrary school bell schedule. Kids have to be at school at a certain time every day, I'll be picking kids up at a certain time every day. No longer can I just morph and flex, and run off and do things at the drop of a hat. I'll have to check the unnatural schedule. But, I know, this is the right next step for both of my kids. Nick made the decision to go to high school. He wants to go, he should be able to go. I'm not a homeschooling nazi here. And Charlotte, well, if there wasn't a school that seemed really amazing, I'd keep her home. But she's just so ready for more, and this school is right up her alley. Besides, with her brother going to school, she'd be really missing him here at home. Plus, she thinks school clothes shopping is the greatest invention EVER!

I don't regret for a second the last few years of homeschooling. Without it, I doubt very much my kids would be as close as they are. At 15 and 5, had Nick been in school this entire time, he would have had very little patience or time for his little sister. As it is, they have really been very close. But it is time for them to develop more relationships with "kids their own age" I do believe kids should have relationships outside of the narrow band of their own specific grade, but the difference between 5 and 15 is HUGE, and close as they are, Nick could use some more teen aged relationships in his life, and probably not so many Kindergarteners.

So, they will adjust. I will adjust. But somehow, I feel like having the kids in school, I'll have even LESS time to get the things done that I need to do. And this working until 3 AM thing is just not going to fly when I have to drive kids to school at 8.

But it will all work out. And as for knitting time, well, there is always the Dojo while the kids do Aikido.