Welcome to Class!

Homeschool. Why would anyone want to homeschool? I can sum up the answer with one word- Time. In this age of plenty, where one only needs to drive to the nearest super-variety-store to procure nearly anything he or she desires, Time is one commodity that eludes us. It is not found on the shelves at the grocery, nor in a catolog. You can't win it on ebay, and you won't unwrap it at Christmas. Happily, Time is a gift each of us receives every day of our lives. We can choose spend it wisely.

Jim and I first flirted with the notion of homeschooling when David was entering pre-school. Life was hectic though, and we had not yet learned how to efficiently manage our lifestyle to be homeschooling friendly. Fast forward six years and three more children. David was entering fifth grade, and Harry was entering kindergarten. My stomach turns to knots when I think of giving up my time with them. How could the summer have ended so abruptly? In spite of my misgivings, the boys are sent to school that year. Now, don't get me wrong. Their elementary school is fantastic. Both boys were assigned to phenomenal teachers. But... they were away for nine hours each day. Just over two hours were due to commuting by school bus.

I remember learning that we become like the five people with whom we spend the most time. With one hour in the morning and three hours in the evening, I knew those people certainly weren't us. Turns out that fifth grade is a very impressionable time for a boy. To be fair, David's poor behavior began in fourth grade, and improved substantially in fifth grade. I couldn't help but be concerned by the influence middle school would have on his personality. A clone of myself is not what I wish for, but I do desire that my sons keep their good intentions and actions.

My last chief concern is flexibility. None of us liked the feeling of being caught in a rat race that revolved around the September-June academic schedule. We wanted the freedom to grow individually and as a family using the means that best suited us.

The calling to homeschool was heard again, and this time it was heeded. We decided that we were prepared to be the masters of our Time. Starting with Harry's first grade year, and David's sixth grade year, we will embark on a journey of education, experience, and growth.