My Top 5 Reasons Why I Homeschool

I failed sixth grade. And it wasn't much of a surprise considering my parents got divorced that year, and our home life was anything but stable. One of the things I specifically remember about attending sixth grade in my new school, was asking the teacher to teach more about a subject and him telling he he wasn't allowed. In my first sixth grade class we studied Europe in great detail. For some reason I loved, understood, and craved to know more about everything Europe. (I say "for some reason" because I ended up being a bad student the rest of my school years. That was the one time I was really interested.) When I got to my new school and it was barely touched on before moving on to another subject, I protested. I wanted to know more. I would have even been happy relearning everything I'd already been taught about it. But it couldn't and wouldn't be done. It wasn't allowed.

This is a perfect example of why I love homeschooling. Here was a kid who wanted to learn more than they were willing or allowed to teach. Below are my top five reasons I love to homeschool:

1. When my son was interested in the Titanic, we spent weeks studying books, movies and documentaries on it. I will never tell him he can't learn more about a subject he is interested in. I'm lucky and thankful that he's so into big things for a five year old like space, evolution, God, and a few things I can't even wrap my brain around. But we will study his interests and learn as much as we can about whatever he's into.
2. Nothing beats one on one teaching. Not only does it provide instant feedback, but everything we do is tailored to fit his needs. Our school is planned around him...what he likes, what he's interested in, what he'd like to try, etc. 
3. Being a writer I'm huge on creativity. I love nothing more than my son and I getting our art supplies out and creating something. Whether we work on our art journals, makes cards for people or just wing it and put stickers all over a sheet of paper, I love being creative with him. And teaching him at home lets him be as creative as he can possibly be. There's no one here to tell him his time is up and he has to move onto something else. He can draw all day long if he wants. And when we were working on our 8ft. New York City drawing, that's exactly what we did. 
4. I don't think for a second that kids need to be surrounded by kids their own age all day long. I love the fact that my son is learning social skills towards people of all ages. He introduces himself to kids, shakes men's hands, and high-fives the ladies:) He's learning to look people in the eye when both he and they speak, to not interrupt and to be polite. I've seen him hold doors for strangers, pick up things off store floors and put them on shelves so people don't trip, and pick up a garbage can when someone ran over our neighbors'. This is all without being told. 
5. My very tip top reason that I love to homeschool is...I get to spend day after day with my son. I couldn't imagine sending him off for six or seven hours a day (and I know he feels the same way). I feel like the luckiest mommy in the world to be the one to teach, explore, and hang out with him all day.

Obviously I know homeschooling isn't for everyone. Lord knows I get enough eye rolls when people learn we homeschool. But I also know there are a lot of people out there who want to homeschool but don't know where to begin, or they're afraid they'll mess it up. But if you feel that calling, do it. Just try it. The very worst that can happen is it doesn't work and you end up sending your kid back to school. But don't be like so many people I've met with grown kids who say they always wanted to but were too afraid. My Bug is only five and a half, but we're having the time of our life together. Every day.

See What Quitting Facebook Can Do

Ok, so I know it's only been four days since I deleted my Facebook account. But I have to say...I don't miss it at all. At least not yet. My husband thinks I will in a few weeks.

We'll see.

I'm still planning on coming back in July. (Even though my awesome friend started a Bring Back Lisa Miles page on Facebook.)

So far this week I've:

• Joined the YMCA -- This is something I've been wanting to do forever and we finally did it. We went yesterday and today with our friends. Yesterday was the first time I've ever left my five year old in a play area without me right there, and he did great! Although he did have his best friends with him, so that helped.
• I've used the treadmill, bike machine and one of the exercise rooms with equipment. Afterwards we take the kids into one of the play areas or swimming. Of course, all that great exercise I've been doing was probably just undone by the chocolate chip pancakes I made for lunch today.
• Been writing on my current WIP -- After putting it aside for a few months, I'm finally back on the writing bandwagon and working on my ya novel. It feels good to stare off into space about my story again.
• Came up with a new memoir/fiction idea that I'm tossing around. I feel like it's a story that needs to be written down, I'm just not sure if I want to fictionalize it or have anyone read it.
• I'm also tossing around the idea I have for my next ya  novel. I haven't written anything down on it yet, mostly for fear that I'll start on that one and forget my current one. But it's bubbling up there.

And there have only been two times where I've thought about posting on Facebook. One was the other day when I saw two pregnant woman sharing a cigarette, and the other was when my son said something funny:

                         Me: Daddy bought a new grill.
                        Him: What's he going to do with you?
                        Me: With me, what do you mean?
                        Him: If he bought a new girl, what's going to happen to you?

And that's it for my four days without Facebook. Hopefully I'll have alot more added to that. If I'm not to sore from working out to crawl to the computer.