An Academic Vacation

Yesterday we started packing – for what you might ask.  We have decided to make a family trip out of a journey to Ohio.  This is one of the main reasons we love our lifestyle as a single income homeschool family.  We are not restricted to the traditional academic calendar, our schooling can go where we go, and we have to only work around one work schedule.  Plus, when life happens we can make what adjustments we need to flow with it.

Cassie has been in Ohio with family since the beginning of May and we’ve been trying to figure out the best way and time to get her back.  One plan would change to another to another and to yet another.  But finally we have our current plan to finally meet up with her.

We’ve made the adjustments to make our life accommodating.  We’re going to leave here on vacation together, but only one will return.  We are fortunate enough to have the flexibility in our schedule to be where we need to be. 

While we are home we will be able to help with family, reconnect with a homeschool community, and fulfill many things.  We will miss being with Jay but for right now this is what needs to be done.

We are looking forward to being able to help family with their needs but also to fulfill some of our needs too.  I have to be honest, the kids and I really feel disconnected.  We are so use to having weekly activities with other homeschoolers, taking enrichment classes at co-op, going on field trips, monthly tween gatherings and utilizing various resources available to homeschoolers – to just name a few.  Unfortunately, we have not been able to tie into any such resources since our move.  The homeschool pool where we live now is much much smaller, not as structured, and doesn’t offer a variety of opportunities – academically or socially.

I remember the resistance we got when we started homeschooling.  Some family members were supportive and some were skeptic.  Those that were skeptic were skeptic because . . .

I think those who were a little leery about our choice, including the kids’ pediatrician, were stereotyping, which is unfortunately what most do when they think of homeschoolers.  The encounters we have had with people outside our inner circle are shocked when they find out we are a homeschool family.  They refer to us as being ‘normal.’  What does normal mean???

As I’ve explained, we do not homeschool our children to shelter them, and we definitely do not home school for religious reasons.  Please understand everyone makes this choice for their own personal reasons and one’s reason is not wrong.  For us, we started homeschooling for academic reasons seven and one-half years ago and now it is a lifestyle we have all come to love.  I remember when we moved to town and Cassie started taking private flute lessons, her teacher wished us luck because she said the majority of the homeschool families around here do it for the reasons we said we do not do it.

With that said, I have to be honest – this past academic year was nothing like any of our previous.  It was restricted to book learning in the confines of our four walled house with no continuous hands-on outside activity with other homeschoolers.  With a harsh winter and the lack of resources to take our learning out into the real world, it was a very boring school year!  We did get to partake in a couple of field trips, but no weekly classes or monthly socials with other homeschoolers. It’s hard to connect with a community that is not accepting of all and requires you to sign a statement of faith to be a member in their group. 

So, while we will remain in Ohio for some time, I will help family where needed and the kids will enjoy some much needed socialization!!  We will reconnect with our old co-op and we will definitely utilize some wonderful resources to make the first part of our academic year more worthy and fun.  The kids are looking forward to taking an anatomy class, a sewing class, and choir to just name a few during our academic vacation in Ohio.