It's Official!

It's official!! I'm a home schoolin' mama! This whole summer was spent going to yard sales looking for stuff to set up a classroom with. We found 4 school desks, just like the ones most of us grew up with, the attached desk top and the storage under the seat for books and papers, for only $5. (Hmm.. 3 kids, 4 desks. "Honey! Let's make another baby!" sounds of heavy footsteps running away) We spent lots of time looking for school books for the kindergarten and first grade levels, and for other educational items we can use to decorate the class room. I've been on the Internet looking up laws and qualifications needed for the State of West Virginia and thankfully, we meet the requirements. I sent away for a home schooling information packet with lists of support groups and different programs. I spent hours clearing away a mountain of empty boxes that got tossed in the corner of the basement and sorting through other unpacked boxes. I dragged a shelf across the room to clear away the wall for painting and I just informed Hubby that the girls and I were going to paint this week. I think we're ready!

We got a notice in the mail last week informing us of the date the local elementary school will register new students and I got all nervous and jittery. I fretted that maybe I wasn't making the right decision in home schooling Oldest and maybe I should send her off to school. Then Mom asked me my reasons, and after ticking off all the pros and cons, I calmed down and I just know that home schooling is the right thing to do, for us. Hubby went to the County School Board this morning with all the paperwork we needed, to let them know we intended to home school Oldest and copies of our high school diplomas. We're all set!

In a way, we have already been home schooling the girls. We take something that sparks their interest and run with it, expanding on the possibilities and looking up projects we can do to further understand the topic. Oldest loves to look at a big health book we have, and I used her interest in the human skeleton to watch a chipmunk the cats caught and killed, decompose back into the ground. When everything was gone and there was nothing left but a skull, I cleaned the skull and we compared a picture of a human skull and the chipmunk skull. It was inspiring to see Oldest absorb the information and only made me want to do more, more, more!

Almost every time we head outside, there is a lesson to be learned: empty cicada shells and a big cicada to marvel at, mushrooms, worms in the dirt and baby oak trees growing from acorns.

We are doing the right thing, and it is what is best for us and our family. So, here's to adventures in home schoolin' with 3 little ones! I'll be sharing our adventures from time to time, along with the usual postings of my life.