Filled with crazy and stuffing more in

Originally posted 3/14/2011 on my Wordpress blog.

I started this blog probably two years ago and never successfully completed a single post. Now, as my life is even more hectic, I've decided to revisit blogging as a method of organizing my thoughts and the links I find useful. Our newest endeavor is homeschooling our two youngest kids. After a stressful school year and much discussion, we've decided as a family that we want to be in charge of our own kids' education. Little Missy is less than keen as she loves school and everything about it but Little Mister is really warming up to the idea. Hubby and I have discussed this for some time and we just feel like the time is right and we want to spend more time with our kids than random strangers do.

That being said, we both work a minimum of 40-45 hours per week. How can we take on this additional full-time job with all that we already do? Well, that is what we keep asking ourselves over and over and over and over... We really feel strongly that it is the right decision for our family however and we are at this point about 90% sure that come June, we'll be "THOSE" people. 

Despite what some of our friends think, we are taking this very seriously and we do realize how much of a responsibility this is. I also realize that I currently get to spend maybe 4 hours a day with my kids. Their teachers spend 7, their grandparents spend 2-4. I want to have more influence on who they become as people than their peers and their teachers. I want them to know the basics that are covered under the core content as tested by the standardized tests, but I also want them to have time and freedom to explore subjects that interest them and be inspired by great works of literature and art. Right now, they're being taught like rats in a maze to pass a standardized test without even the promise of cheese. My fourth grader is under so much stress "practicing" for the written section of his standardized tests that  I swear I found a grey hair on his head last week.

Our current plan is to start our school year, right after school lets out. However everything goes, we should know by August if we are going to be able to successfully homeschool while working. If everything is going well, we write the letter and officially pull them out, if it's going poorly, we send them back and they're a little ahead for the start of their next year. I sound all non-chalant, don't I? Yeah, my ulcer would disagree with that statement. Time will tell.