Top 10 Reasons I Like Homeschooling (so far!)

So tomorow we conclude our first official "quarter" of school, i.e. 9 weeks. (this is following the 180 day state req'mt, so you can do the math) and I have to say, I am so incredibly thankful for how well things have gone so far. I had prepared myself for hard, undending days of conflict and instead have experienced some of the most rewarding (but still hard!) productive, joyful moments. Lots of friends are asking me, but mostly Zach, "So, how is school going?" To which my son usually replies a heartfelt, "AWESOME!" and that makes my day.

So aside from the purely academic benefits, here is my list** of what has been best so far:
** ok, so after writing this it sorta expanded into a more than 10 list....


10. If Zach decends the stairs wearing grey and orange gym pants, a red and black shirt and 2 different socks, I can say, "Great job getting dressed!" because, really... who cares?

9. Staying warm and dry in my bathrobe, drinking a cup of coffee, while watching my neighbors walk to the bus in the cold, pouring rain at 8:15am.

8. NO evening HOMEWORK!!

7. Hearing the phone ring during the day and thinking, " Oh, i wonder if that is__(a friend?)__, instead of "Oh, I wonder if that is the Principal?"

6. Not having to drive to school to deliver a forgotten lunch.....school supplies.....library book....signed form... etc.

5. Not having to face the dilema of having to choose between the teacher's side or my child's side in a problem at school

4b. Cuddling on the couch, listening to my child read (and enjoy!) a book that he couldn't have read a few months ago.

4. NO evening HOMEWORK!! (oh, did I already say that?)

3b. Hearing my child say, " Mom, I'm bored..... I've read all these books you got. When can we go to the Library again?" I dont mind that kind of complaining, really I don't!

3. NOT having to listen to my child tell me all about how he was put in "school jail" again today by the "mean teachers"

2b. The fact that my child could actually read this list now and understand it perfectly, correct my capitalization, punctuation, and add a few points of his own in legible handwriting. (now spelling.... thats another issue :-)

2. Seeing the smile on my son's face and giving him a high five after he completes a math problem that perviously he looked at and said, " I can't do it, its too hard!"

1. I can pray before class, teach the 10 commandments, practice handwriting using a bible verse and stop a lesson at any time to remind one or all of my kids about what that verse actually means... WITHOUT ANYONE TELLING ME I CAN'T.

This is so worth it!
Now... how to find the time to plan next quarter? Hmmmm......