Am I A Homeschool Dropout?

Well, Blondechick15 is not the only one switching schools this year. Chicklet6.95, who was homeschooled for kindergarten last year, is going to the local elementary school for first grade! I just got her enrolled last week. It's been a mad frenzy of educational decisions around here lately, and I still have to plan what we're doing with the homeschooled kids this year.

One at a time...

But I feel like a wimp of a homeschooling mom. I will only have Bantam10 and Bantam14 at home for 5th and 8th grades this year, and B14 is taking Pre-Algebra and Art at the private Christian school where Blondechick is going. Bantam4 will be hanging out with us too, of course.

I have been so ambivalent about sending Chicklet6 this year. But I do have my reasons:

--she's BEGGING to go, and it's not because she knows anyone there except a 3rd grade neighbor. The idea of it just has great appeal to her. She's a school-y girl.
--I am starting a new job, you may remember, being a part-time administrator for our Christian youth theater group.
--I have never enjoyed teaching 1st grade. Of all the grades, it requires the most patience, and I confess that I am often so short of that.
--My hope is that if someone else is teaching her the academic stuff, I can spend more time with her doing the fun stuff. She wants me to teach her to cook and to sew, and she loves to play games and be read to.
--I have often bemoaned the fact that my homeschooled kids don't have a better work ethic, and it's not for lack of trying everything under the sun (except maybe chaining myself and them to the kitchen table). I have often wondered, if they'd had a few years of school under their belt, if they would appreciate the freedoms of homeschooling more? I've jokingly said that I think the ideal thing would be to let someone else teach them all the basics, and then give them back to me once they are equipped for learning more independently, and maybe a little burned out from the long days of school followed by more homework at night. Then they might really be motivated to work hard in the mornings and be done by noon. So, I may finally be trying that experiment, with one, at least!

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In other news, I have been busy interviewing and hiring and explaining how things work to six teachers for our fall session of theater classes. We have a voice teacher, two musical theater teachers and two drama teachers...but not a dance teacher in sight, yet. We over 40 kids enrolled, with two weeks until classes begin, so that is a great start. Just two weeks ago, I had ZERO teachers and about as many leads, so it has been awesome to see God provide a great staff. I am confident that He will send us a dance teacher too!

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Blondechick and B14 start on Monday at their new school, and B18 and Chicklet6 start the week after that. We have spent over 4 hours and hundreds of dollars at Walmart in the last two days...buying school supplies, some fall clothes, and other sundries. I can't remember the last time I took all six kids shopping with me at once. We accomplished a lot in a short time, but I'm glad it's a once-a-year experience!

Next week:

--work out a carpool for the private school runs (I fear all the driving, but have faith that it's the right thing we've chosen)
--get Chicklet's immunizations (typical homeschool decision--not to worry about it last year when she "entered" kindergarten!)
--settle on curriculum/approach for B14 and B10's homeschooling (I own lots of options)
--check references on theater teachers
--plan party?/something for Chicklet's 7th birthday
--register B14 and B10 for enrichment classes
--plan writing class I'm teaching for 6-week enrichment session

Hmmm, maybe after everyone is finally in school, things will settle down a bit!