So, last week was National School Choice Week. I would not know this at all had we been given the proper supports in our local district, a district that continues to pay my husband's salary. Awkward? Very! Here we are as we inch closer (less than 4 months to go) to the completion of another school year spent online. Our home district is laying off more than 140 teachers at the end of May and is falling suit with so many other districts nationwide cutting full-time Kinder. This will hurt many parents and of course add more care costs for families. I shake my head. Am I happy that I don't have to deal with this stuff anymore? Well, I never thought I'd be doing what I'm doing. To say it out loud still sounds foreign. To explain it to people, the look on their face is priceless. No, I never thought we'd be doing school this way, but we are and it's WONDERFUL. It's like educational freedom backed by State funding and it's at MY disposal! Can you get any better than that? Yeah, I'm tired at times. I loathe some of these portfolio projects the boys are asked to complete, but to be able to customize my kids' education and schedule therapies at my leisure? AWESOME!
T is talking so much more than he was 3 years ago! He is happy and he is learning. He is SO smart and I sometimes think about how things would be now had we left him at our public school. We'd all be taking more medication, I'll tell you that! We'd have more medical to write off, but is that a thing to celebrate? It was so incredibly hard to pull D 6 months later and do the same thing. We did that pros and cons list many times. Just walking into the AZ Dept of Ed building and filling out homeschooling paperwork in the interim while waiting for the following semester to start was really difficult. I had hopes that things would somehow come together, but I had my doubts too. I guess one doesn't know until ones tries, right? D made honor roll and we had his IEP mtg last week via phone chat. It was a good hour long and everyone was really positive. The staff looks at his schedule and can't believe all that's in his day. It's pretty scheduled and he's getting better about looking at his planner and packing up what he needs to busy himself for the hour or two we spend at therapies for his younger bro. It's really different, it is, but as I hear my boys laughing as I type this, we made a good decision based on the options given. I get that not everyone wants to or can. I get it! At least there is the choice. That's what I'm truly thankful for right now in the whole conversation about charters, online, and vouchers.
Yup, all of this is a great distraction: the scheduling of live lessons, driving, appointments, therapies, swimming, riding, bowling and whatever else we squeeze in. I'm already having "February Flashbacks" to 2009. It never goes away. Miss him.
It's official! T is taller than D!
I am so glad this is working out for you all and everyone seems to be thriving! Way 2 Go Momma!
Miss you friend
Samantha
Lindsay, you are amazing for all that you do for your sons -- and the payoff is that they are thriving. I'm very proud of you -- and them! Tell my little buddies I said hello.
erin
Lindsay,
I'm so glad that you've found a path that your whole family feels good about and comfortable with. Everyone has to do what is right for them, and it's great that there are options.
They're getting so big! And wow, T is going to be tall!
Love,
Libby
Yay! I'm so happy that homeschooling is such a good fit.
I have promised myself that I won't worry about schooling until we get there. However, it's good to know that you have some experience that may be helpful to me when the time comes.
You're an awesome mom Lindsay!
Wow! I feel like they have both grown a lot since we saw them 6 months ago! So glad things are working out so well. It must be very difficult at times, but you are truly making the best of it and doing what's best for your family and that is what it is all about! Awesome job, mama!