Look at that - same shirt in both pics, on a different kiddo though. We have three of those shirts. Really. And look at Mr. T wearing yellow and Little Miss wearing pink both times. Are we a bit too predictable, folks?!
I never felt the call to homeschool, and actually kicked and screamed about it before finally agreeing to give homeschooling a try. I don't enjoy doing craft projects or science experiments with my kids, or look forward to putting together different curricula. I had never even attended a homeschool convention! English isn't my native language even, for goodness sakes!! Our main reason for homeschooling was the flexibility it would allow our traveling family, and finding a program that allows me to be more the assistant than the teacher.
We started homeschooling in 5th grade using AOP Switched-On-Schoolhouse, and for 6th and 7th grade we used AOP Monarch. Both are great programs. Each student has their own laptop, and while they have the same material, they each work at their own pace.
The first year we weren't involved in many homeschool activities (it was all about surviving), but for 6th grade we attended a homeschool co-op, and also attended various other fun homeschool activities every week. We are also big on PE outside, every single day!
We did some preschool work at home, but Little Miss attended local preschools (both in Florida and in New England).
We will be starting our fourth year of homeschooling in September 2012 with four 8th graders and a 1st grader. Our core curriculum will be AOP Monarch, The One Year Adventure Novel, and CurrClick.com online classes for 8th grade, and Critical Thinking First Grade Bundle for Little Miss.
Our motto with homeschooling is: "If we can do it, anyone can do it!!" :)
Our kids sometimes talk about things they miss about going to Christian School, but so far have always come to the conclusion they'd rather be homeschooled. These past three+ years have definitely brought our family closer as we have traveled together and spent more time together. Sure, there have been some terrible-horrible-very-bad days, but now we have learned to close our laptops and head outside for PE or go to the library on a field trip on those days.
We also love our school uniforms: pajamas on most days ;-)
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