Not Another Homeschool Blog

Yes, why yes I did. I guess a homeschool mom's work is never done. Last year when my son started college, I introduced him to my Grammarly account which I use to help me with editing.  Since he is an intensely private person, I knew he didn't want me reading his papers, but I knew that he (we all) could use a second set of eyes on his work. This year, I instructed daughter to use the college writing center, as she would gladly let someone else look at her work, but since they are not opened yet, this early into the semester, she sent her papers to me for an extra set of eyes.  Instead of making a correction for her, I used a tool in Microsoft Word that let's me make comments on the side of the page. This way I could point out grammar issues without changing the meaning or intended meaning of anything she wrote. I really enjoyed being called upon for a little help from my girl, though I realize these requests will become fewer and further apart over time. I don...

I am talking to my kids daily at this point, so I still feel pretty connected, but as I said to my daughter last night... I miss your face. It is a line stolen from an online news personality, who at the end of his news updates says "I love your faces", and my daughter and I love the sentiment, so we have made it ours too. I am going to visit them tomorrow because they forgot stuff (yeah... because they forgot stuff), but mostly to see their faces. Meanwhile, I am still not crying, but hubby is a wreck!  He has talked the boy, now 19 into taking his road test so we can get him a car... just for our own peace of mind that he's now hitching rides from crazies. That is all. Have a nice day :-)

This afternoon, there was another school shooting incident , in the adjoining county from where I live.  Fortunately, the gunman did not succeed at taking any lives, and it appears that his goal was to shoot police officers as they came to protect the children from him. As it is being told on the news, he somehow got into the school and confronted the school secretary with an AK47 and told her to call Channel 2 news.  (he also walked around the school building and fired shots) He relayed to them that he wanted to film as he killed officers. I joked with my brother about the shooter being a punk because after they fired a few shots at him he surrendered.  Meanwhile parents were alerted, and had to pick up their kids at the nearby Walmart parking lot. On Facebook, friend of mine are saying things like "This is why we homeschool".  I definately agree with that sentiment as it definately gave me a sense of relief to know as crazy things happened at the nearby schoo...

I swear, it is driving me crazy! People are making a bigger deal about my kids being off at college than I am. Hubby's coming out of the closet with red swollen eyes.  Brother, sis n law, and everyone else I run into are looking at my eyes for signs of tears.  But I don't feel sad.  So now I am starting to feel like maybe I'm a great big heal for not being a blubbering idiot right now! The thing is... They are at college, 2 hours away, and I can get to them quickly if I have to. I know they are equipped and ready for college and I am celebrating that fact, not bemoaning it.  - I know, because I homeschooled them! I was given quite the guilt trip when it was time for me to leave for college and I AM NOT going to do that to my kids. I'm just so giddy with excitement for them and what they are preparing to accomplish in life. So, please, don't expect me to be unhappy about this very happy occasion. Tears aren't necessary.  ... and I won't succumb...

The day you drop your kids off at college they hand the kids an orientation schedule and they hand the parents an orientation schedule. A big part of the parents orientation is THE TALK.  It goes something like this.   Your kids are adults now.  Your relationship with them is going to change.  It is not going to be easy but they are going to be fine.  They also advises us on FERPA laws that state we need our kids' permission to access their information.  Where the talk from each school differed is in the level of involvement they want from the parents. At son's first university last summer, they told us to back off... Give them space. Don't visit too much.  Don't expect or request phone calls. They are our responsibility now, and we will take care of them.. We listened, and for my son... This was bad advice. He is now at a new school.  His new school said, talk regularly and gave us advice on how to phrase questions to make sure every thing is OK....

By the time most of you read this, my kids will already be settling into college life.  I am writing this especially for the homeschool carnival to be posted by Homeschool Dad, or as you will soon come to know him... The dad formerly known as Homeschool Dad.  I thought it was important to contribute to this carnival in particular, as like Homeschool Dad, my homeschooling days have also come to an end. If you look back over my blog the last year, you will see our transition to graduating our last homeschooler. I spent the last summer pretty much in post homeschool mode. I required no assignments of them. I introduced no new material, but like in those pre-homeschool days - from birth to when we started homeschooling, I observed that we are STILL forever teaching our children. We didn't teach them to walk, talk, or eat with a utensil like when they were small, but like when they were young, I mostly sat back and watched them reach new milestones and prepare for the time when...

So I got up again at 6am this morning, and drove 2 hours to my son's new (State) college to make sure his money was processed.  Honestly, this issue could have been handled by phone, but they are seriously short staffed, so I drove all the way there, wrote my name on a piece of paper, after a bunch of other people, waited an hour and 45 minutes, and then we got to speak to the financial aid counselor. I am going to stop here and say something that might sound elitist.  There should be a separate office for people getting loans than the one for people getting state grants.  Firstly, the knowledge base is different, so there should be different specialists.  Second, the demeanor of the clients is different.  Most of the people getting free money were showing out, when the people getting loans sat calmly and waited their turn.  Yes, I know who was who, because everyone was being counseled out in the open where you could hear their business... but I digress. ...

Please excuse my absence.  I have been up to my eyebrows in taking care of college stuff for my eldest who has transferred from a private to a public college. I can tell you this though.  Private colleges make the payment and financial aid loan process soooo much easier.  Based on working with two private colleges, and one public, I feel like the public college is completely clueless and non communicative. Right now I am fearful that classes and dorm rooms will get cancelled because of some paperwork that did not get processed correctly, and I am seriously exhausted trying to figure it all out. Sooo.. if you are looking at a public college for your kids, I will first say start early, very early to make sure all the t's are crossed, and i's are dotted.  Then, keep checking on things because stuff can blow up at any moment!