Our New Journey

Tomorrow is the first day. I have my schedule ready, books organized, and crafts planned out. That's right - tomorrow is the first day of our homeschool.

I'm a little nervous, but excited beyond words. Both of my children seem to be excited as well. My daughter has been counting down the days and even picked out her first-day-of-school outfit.

I try not to be overwhelmed with the idea that my husband and I are responsible for their education. And trust me, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. There are learning styles, homeschooling styles, numerous choices for curriculum, state laws and requirements, independent school requirements (more on that in a minute), homeschool organizations, homeschool legal defense associations, and on and on and on.

I attended an introductory course a month ago and a some of these questions were answered. I also learned new things to add to the plethora of information currently floating in my brain. For example, there are three homeschooling options to choose from (according to Colorado law). I could homeschool and submit information (i.e. attendance records and testing scores) directly to the school district or I could work through an independent or private school, which means I follow their guidelines for attendance and testing, while they maintain our records. Another option requires me to have a teacher's certificate. We chose the independent school option.

I'm also trying not to feel pressured. I feel like this year is for trial and error as my oldest is starting Kindergarten. I'm sure curricula will come and go, depending on each child's needs, but hopefully I can attune myself to each child's learning style early on to avoid frustration.

The one thing I'm looking forward to is the look on my children's faces as they learn something new and it clicks. I want them to be excited to learn more about the Lord and His creation. I'm sure it will be a refresher course for me as well, and hopefully I, too, will appreciate the Lord and His creation a little (okay a lot) more.