Not Another Homeschool Blog

 I have been very, very ill since Wednesday.  I suspected I was getting sick during the day as my body thermostat went haywire and my teeth kept chattering.  But around 10pm, I got hit with a fever that knocked me off my feet, followed by several days of stomach distress.  During my week of inability, and with my husband out of town, my daughter (soon to be 15) quickly stepped into the caretaker role needed to get us through the week.  The only outside help I had to call on was for grocery deliveries in a desperate attempt to ease my symptoms. She not only assisted me, and kept my fever from getting to high, but she also checked on her brother was was also suffering, though to a lesser degree.  She made meals.  She sat nearby.  She was attentive, and I was well cared for. Is this something I trained her for as a girl who is homeschooled.  No. Not directly.  But I believe that her numerous opportunities to watch me and other family me...

As we finish our 8th grade of homeschooling and look forward to our 9th, It is interesting to reflect on all of the questions about homeschooling that have been presented to us over the year.  Like we have evolved over the years, so have the questions.  Here is a general accounting of them. 1. Why aren't the kids in school? In our early days when the kids were small children, all kind of people would sto us as we went about our day and grill me and the kids about why they were not in school.  Most seemed annoyed that children were invading their quet time at the library or supermarket at a time when they did not expect kids there.  My duaghter, who was quite tiny at the time, would pointedly say, "We don't go to school."  Then she would walk away.  Great fun! 2. What about socialization? This question came from people we knew who worried that our kids would become weird misfits.  My personal research about the subject taught me to not bother answe...

It's True.  Homeschoolers don't bother to get dressed until it is time to leave the house.  We literally spend the day in our pajamas... sort of.  Actually, my son prefers sweat pants.  I like yoga pants and t-shirts, and my daughter lives in scrubs. The scrubs she wears are the same medical scrubs you find on a doctor or nurse at the hospital. They are no-muss, no-fuss, wash and wear, and they are also great for sleepovers, and tech week wear, when you have spend every single minute at drama club rehearsal getting in and out of costumes.  I keep her closet stocked with these easy wear, easy care outfits by ordering them from stores like http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/ categories/Scrubs/ where they also carry the long sleeve t-shirts that I love so much. 

( Has anyone figured out how much of a Dork I am yet?)  In my a to Z blog project I listed M, then N, them M again!)...  I am going to pick up now with O... forgive my scattered brain! Homeschool blogging A-Z:  O is for Online Learning Over the years, we have approached learning is a great mixture of ways.  We have taken classes in the community, used online programs and educational websites, and we have also studied from textbooks at home.  One option we haven't had the opportunity to explore, but is still a great option is online learning through online classes. Online classes including online college courses are classes run by a teacher who communicates through the internet through video programs and message boards.  The teacher and student may communicate live; in real time, or they may leave messages and video instruction for the other to retrieve later.  MIT online learning and other Open Source type classes are one form of online learni...