Could it Really be True?

Gotta have art!

There are big changes coming in our family. We are in the midst of our last year of homeschooling. Late this spring, I will officially be done homeschooling my children. Hip Hip Hooray and all that jazz -  celebrations to ensue, but there will be more than just a tear or two being shed through these final months of homeschooling. Mostly, they are tears of joy, for all that has been accomplished by us as a family and by each of us individually. I will miss so very much our homeschooling lifestyle.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Homeschooled pets are lucky creatures.

I am anticipating a major shift in my life and daily activities. We still have a couple of things to complete with our home schooled high school senior. Baring any dramatic changes, she will be given her high school diploma in June of 2019, just a few short months away. She is currently preparing for her own independent adventures as a young adult. Our two sons are also making their plans for establishing there own domestic domains. With all three leaving the nest there will be big changes in this household! 

Milestones and next steps.

As a result, there will be new blog topics for me to explore in the months to come. I hope to be posting more about my own activities, the plans I am making and the adventures I am looking forward to. Homeschooling was in part an outcome of my own interest in intentional life long learning. My own education continues, anyone interested in joining me as a life long adult un-schooler?

Technology and classical ballet meet.

For our daughter this winter and spring, the final homeschooling agenda has included her completion of some course work and taking care of some of the details of high school graduation. She will finish some language arts requirements which in our 'school' continues to require daily reading and writing. Just a few things beyond that for her to complete, including the completion of a math component and  she'll be completing the official testing required. I'll be completing her transcripts.

Acquiring a driver's licence is in the mix for her to top it off with some additional real world functioning. Add the attainment of an actual drivers licence and she's off!

For my daughter the next few years will include more dance training and auditions in hopes of participating as a dancer in an actual ballet company. She plans to begin college classes while continuing her focus on dance.

Thankful for amazing online resources.

It has been an amazing journey. A learning adventure where the adage about how the teacher learns more than the student has consistently been realized over and over in our home. in full force!  I do not regret for a moment, our choice to home school our children. I am in fact sad to see it end even as I know it's eventual ending was the ultimate goal. I can barely remember any difficulties of learning on the part of my "students" I do remember some frustrations with myself as a "teacher".  

Oh those days!

My own inadequacies were overly obvious to myself and probably my children time and again throughout all the years of homeschooling. Each display of my lack of skill whether it was simply knowledge, preparation or organization, was an opportunity to show the value of life long learning, growth and character development. The need for growth for all of us in character was and is always more imperative than any immediate need of academic requirement. 

There were moments, hours, days and sometimes, though not frequently, weeks, when I questioned what or how we were homeschooling, but never the choice overall. My children have been eager learners and good sports as we wound our way through growing together. They have been wonderful companions and I  delighted in allowing them to keep their childhood curiosity and wonder alive as they grew. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. So far each of our children have taken steps and begun to step out into the world with a solid foundation and in a positive direction. I am extremely proud of each of them.

Over our homeschooling years, one of my main go to resources has been SchoolhouseTeachers.com. It is is an online product with downloadable, printable elements as well as online classes and video components. There are online classes for homeschooling students of all ages. There are encouraging parenting resources and forums for the addition of a potential community of other online homeschooling families.

It is a valuable resource worth looking into if you haven't already.
April is a great month to do so because there is a wonderful promotion going on.

SchoolhouseTeachers.com ~ (http://www.SchoolhouseTeachers.com/) 
This is an online product with downloadable, printable elements as well as online classes and video components.