things i didn't know about school...and was too afraid to find out #1

School pays good money to teachers and administrative staff to do the job of providing excellent learning opportunities for the children...without Mother lifting a finger


My kids were homeschooled right up until January this year. The oldest has never been to a real school. With our lives increasingly complicated with the marriage breakdown and several months with two kids in different hospitals, it became clear that homeschooling was no longer feasible. But I still dithered around making the decision to quit. I think I needed time to grieve the ending of what had been - at its best - a very precious era.

After a small stumble when we trialled 6 months in a private Christian school, my 5 youngest kids are now enjoying mainstream public education. I just dropped the 3 youngest off at their lovely public primary school which is less than 2 minutes drive away. I guess the feeling will fade with time but so far, there hasn't been a single day when that hasn't felt just great.

One small drawback is that poor 12 yo ds is visiting the Medieval era for the fourth time this term. Still he's better off than his highschool-aged brother who drew the short straw with a repeat of sex-ed due to the school change. He tells me he's going to be an *expert* :)

As I was leaving the school this morning I noticed the Living History bus was parked in the grounds. A bunch of us employed these guys to do their fabulous interactive history show when we were learning about Colonial times. They do a terrific job making history come alive for the kids. I stopped to chat with the actors and wished them a great day.

It started me thinking about one of the things I love about school: As homeschoolers, to pull something like that off I would have had to discover Living History existed, call them and get a quote and ask around to see if any other families would be interested in sharing the cost. We'd need to plan a date when we would all be free. Then I'd post the event on-line, gather further expressions of interest but not count heads until I had all their money in. The last few days before I'd field calls asking for refunds due to sick kids...and made a lot of enemies. On the day I'd be ill with worry knowing probably at least 20% still wouldn't show but that that family who dress like they just crawled out of an dumpster would be there and, as always, bring their embarrassing behaviour issues with them. During the presentation several of the mothers would stand around at the back and rudely chat. I would be embarrassed and annoyed but feel unable to address it. I'd end the day exhausted but still have to face the long drive home, baths, dinner prep and clean up before I could collapse.

So....everytime the kids come home from school and say, 'Guess what we did today?!' I do a little kitchen conga and send grateful vibe to the kind and competent men and women at the two wonderful public schools my kids attend who devote their lives to taking care of stuff like that for me.