Homeschool Support Groups and Other Activities

I've been giving these a lot of thought, especially over the months of February and March when we have been home alot due to illness. We miss being home, we miss having our own schedule to do with what we want. It's not just K & I, the two homebodies, but even MB has talked about how much nicer our days have gone when we don't have to rush around. It is something I didn't realize when we were in the midst of it all.

Given that we live in the middle of everything and it only takes 15 minutes to get to anything, one would think it was no trouble going to outside classes and such. But, each activity takes at minimum 2 hours out of our precious day together. And, they have not been generally fun two hours either. The two little ones need so much care and attention when we are in public, that I feel like I can't be there for the older two like I want to. And, recently they have not been very happy with what we have been doing.

We miss what we did before the classes and such. We could take a day and waste half of it hanging out at the little lake by us - walking, feeding the ducks, exploring the wetlands and playing on the playground. With something scheduled, in the middle of the day, everyday we can't do it. We feel like we are constantly running around. Where haave my grand ideas of homeschooling being the opportunity to let the kids just explore life.

My constant mantra has become "get .... done so we can go to ....!"

My support group has been very helpful for the first two years, but I am feeling as if I need to back out of it. We can participate in almost nothing and there is no way I can fulfill my obligation to sponsor, organize - whatever, two events by the end of summer. I've made some close friends, the girls have made some good friends. And, we can still do things together - just at times that work better for us.

MB will still have piano and soccer. K wants to drop piano, she is not happy - and I just don't think she is ready. I'd rather drop it and let her pick it back up in a couple of years. The girls are wanting to do more things at church, one of the reasons we re-joined was the strong children's programs. I don't doubt the girls' abilities to find their own socialization outlets.

Anyway, it is time for us to scale-back and try to re-enter the core of homeschooling for our family. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

Peace,

Amy