And the verdict is....

We LOVE homeschooling!

We are two weeks into this adventure, and we really enjoy it. That's not to say everything has been perfect. Oh no. So far from perfect. Tears (from everyone) were involved. But we are adjusting and settling and finding just the right fit for our family.

Things we love include:

More family time- We actually see each other. Since my husband is a restaurant manager, he works some really strange hours. When the kids were in public school, he would sometimes go three days without seeing them while they were awake. Now he not only gets to see them, he gets to interact with and teach them.

Sleeping in- Yeah, I know I sound like a bum. But I love that we don't have to get up at 7. We can get up at 9 or 10. We try to do school by no later than 10, but it's not a rule.

Summer vacation never ends- We get to have that lazy, family-fun feeling all the time. I love that we don't have to end our adventures.

Amazing experiences-Last week we went to Edwin Warner Park. While we were there, we got to observe the naturalists studying ruby-throated hummingbirds. They measured and recorded details about each bird. Then Jerimiah-boy got to hold them as they were released! Such a cool experience, and one he wouldn't have been able to have if he went to traditional school.

More down time- Previously, we were always hurrying from school to somewhere else. Wednesday nights were the worst. The kids got home at 4 pm, and we had church at 6. That didn't leave much time for homework, dinner, and chores. Now we don't have to rush.

Things we don't love so much:

Grammar- It's just not fun for us right now. We are working to find some fun ways to learn grammar. One, I want them to be well-educated. Two, our state law requires that the boys take standardized tests at intervals. It's important that they can pass those. I hate standardized testing. But that's irrelevant. The boys hate grammar.

Worried Mom- I worry sometimes that I'm not getting enough "learning" into our school day. I try to remind myself that we don't have to learn everything in one week!

Explaining to people why we are homeschooling: I still feel like I have to justify why we are homeschooling our boys. Part of the issue is that we have excellent schools in our area. Any advice for this one? I know why we are doing it, but I don't want to be preachy or obnoxious.

I have to say, I was a bit nervous about this. I mean, I'd built it up so much in my mind. I'd had all these dreams about the magical bonding and exploration time my little family would enjoy, while we skipped through meadows holding hands. Yeah. It's true. The good news is, that imperfections and all, we like homeschooling. It's a good choice for our family. The verdict is in, and we are homeschool lovers!