School Time

I realized that I don't blog very much about school even though it takes up a good portion of our lives! I think I just forget to get the camera out. I'm also a little shy about talking about school-at-home too much because it seems to be such a divisive issue...I've come across people who home-school, and they're very adamant about it being the "only" way...I've also come across people who think the public schools are the "only" way, and that I'm just a little bit crazy to have my kids home all the time. I think I'm somewhere in the middle, and I hope that's okay. Let me explain my feelings a little bit...I love doing school with my kids. It's hard sometimes...there are days when it just doesn't "work" but for the most part we have fun together; I like knowing what my kids are learning and what they need a little extra encouragement with. I like that we spend so much time together. Now, having said that of course there are days when a break would be great! But, when I weigh the pros and cons of having them home, I tend to feel like there are more pros for our family personally when they are home.
Last year, Gavin went to first grade at the elementary school. I didn't hate that either, and there are times when Gavin misses his old school...hense the middle ground. There were just a few things that didn't quite work for us. The math was one...there's really not much of a math program at the school by my house...I hear they're changing that so that's awesome. Don't get me wrong, I do not expect my children to be mathematicians and doing crazy hard math at an early age, but I do expect SOME math...I don't think it's too much to ask to have some basic math skills in the early years. Another thing with my kids' school in particular was an issue with some bullies at school. While Gavin had lots of good friends at school, there were some real bullies too...it got to the point where he would get stomach aches and be nervous about recess...he wasn't the only kid getting picked on...other kids were getting slapped and pushed. Gavin got pushed a couple of times and had his jacket taken and thrown across the playground. When we tried to solve the problem with the teacher and principal everyone was super friendly...but not much was done. It's a new school, so hopefully they'll get in their "groove" of things and work on that. Some positives about the school were that the teachers, principal and staff were all extremely friendly, and their reading program was great. So, for me there are obviously positives and negatives to both. I take each year as it comes, talk it over with Jason, pray about it, and talk it over with the kids. We try to be open for what's best and not stay set on any certain way. Sometimes it feels strange to be in this "middle ground"...is it okay that I think school at home or at a public building is okay? I hope so. Maybe none of this makes sense to anyone but me, but that's okay because I'm really writing it mostly for me anyway, so I can look back some day and remember what it was like and what I was feeling. So having said all this, without taking anything away from what anyone else chooses for their kid's education, I do have to say that last year when Gavin went to school, we grew apart a little...he was gone at school all day, then wanted to run outside and play as soon as he got home, then he had homework, dinner and bed. Maybe I just wasn't the best at juggling it all...Now we get school done early and spend time together...it feels like we've grown closer together and talk more this year about things that matter to him. The kids also get a chance to play more as brothers. Then when the neighborhood kids come home from school, he still runs outside to play, but then there's no homework (so nice!) and we have dinner and bed. It seems like it's working for now, but I'm still open for change in the future...like I said...we take it one year at a time :)