Um, yeah...homeschooling.

I took Robin to school on a Monday for the last time today (at least for the next few months). 

This is going to be a challenge.

We've decided to start homeschooling in January, the 3rd to be exact.  Robin is a great kid.  He has too much energy and too much imagination and he lacks listening skills and grumbles when I ask him to brush his teeth....but he's an amazing kid. 

His enthusiasm is inspiring, his ideas are creative and keep me laughing, he is always absorbing what I do (not necessarily what I say) and he grumbles about brushing his teeth....but will rush up the stairs to protect his sister from the imaginary creature she is terrified is waiting behind her bedroom door. 

He has a heart of gold, that is being molded, shaped, wounded and pruned.  Jesus asks us to come to him like a little child, and I know He gave me Robin especially for me to see and know what that looks like...(wipe eyes....keep writing)

Robin is too smart for his own good.  Two days ago he was literally bouncing off the walls, furniture, doors, stairs....and the living room was taking a particularly bad beating.  I asked him twice to settle down and at least stop hopping around on the furniture.  Then he flopped on the arm of the couch and fell and rolled and bounced off the cushion.  So, that was it.  He lost furniture privileges.  These are the days when he gets to be a ground dweller.  Anytime he wants to sit or lie down he does not get to use furniture at all....I even make him sleep on the ground.  I have only used this punishment one other time about a year ago....it's worked pretty well so far.

I walk into the kitchen and find him laying (quite comfortably) across the kitchen counter, head resting on the bar, watching TV...technically he's not on the furniture, so I guess he's safe....for now.

This is how his mind works.  He will be with me all day.  I think I may be in for some trouble.

So many factors have gone into our choice to homeschool.  I'm not really up for defending them at the moment, I'm noticing it's a pretty hot topic of conversation.  But I do want people to know how genuinely excited both Robin and I are for this new adventure.  He's counting down the days.  He will miss school and a few friends, and we've enjoyed his teacher-we just know that this move is right for him.

I think I'm more worried about my abilities to teach him....I once argued with Sean that New England was a state, not New Jersey.  I can't have anyone talking to me if I have to add more than 4 numbers in my head, and I usually have to sing the ABC song whenever I'm trying to alphabetize anything.

This week I get the wonderful privilege to pick the brains of many of my girlfriends who homeschool...I get to read from piles of books they have loaned me...and I get to decide what program will work best for our situation.  And I get to think about what on earth I will actually do on that Monday morning when my sweet little energetic, crazy, imaginative, goofy six year old boy is sitting across the kitchen table from me.

Eeek!  I'm so excited!  I get to be a nerd with my kid....maybe he'll even learn to play the ukulele 8-)

H :)