I can remember being a teen and saying that I COULD NEVER be a stay at home mom. I wanted a career and my me time. I was strongly independent.
Once I had children, this idea of staying home was even more undesirable to me. I was the mom, I needed a break/vacation from it and the house. How could I be at home all day with these kids. I would have NO LIFE?
Forward seven years. My PCOS is making work difficult and I just was needing a change, but what that was I had no clue.
So, after reluctantly putting my kids in public school Chloe was having issues. She was in second grade. Her teacher would barely communicate with me. She suggested that Chloe had some form of adhd and needed meds. TEACHERS CAN SAY THAT! I was unaware of that at the time. She went on to say my child was in lala land, had no clue what was going on, but then said Chloe would give non verbal clues to let her know that she knew the answers. Which is it lady?
I had Chloe tested by a top child psychologist in our town. We did an interview together. They saw that my Chloe could understand and use sarcasm very well and couldn't be tricked. The child had me wanting to crawl under the couch at times. She also did a play test and paper test.
A week later, we received the results. Chloe came back with that she was gifted, her IQ higher than previously tested at and she needed to be in 4th grade by the public school standards she was in. I was so relieved, but upset at how this teacher tried to write my child off and suggested to repeat the first grade.
In that moment, I decided to homeschool Chloe while working full time. I had lots of friends that did it. I would have a great support system. Chloe was excited for it. I was scared as hell. I withdrew her the first day back to school in January 2014.
Chloe was so unsure of herself it broke my heart. She was broken by the environment she was in at public school. She was afraid to make a mistake. Public school opened my eyes to common core and how screwed up it was. I made it worse by trying to make homeschool school at home.
After a month of just tears and agony, we took a break. I needed to rethink what I had gotten myself I to. What about my child? So, we deschooled for the next few months. Nothing formal, more verbal and on site learning. I was slowly getting my Chloe back.
As this homeschool journey was starting, I began to want to be there all the time. I wanted to raise my kids dull time, not part time. I wanted to enjoy every moment. One day with Chloe, I was talking to her about a math concept and she finally got it. She lit up like a Christmas tree and was so happy and proud of herself! I did not want to miss that moment anymore. I had to be a stay at home mom and homeschool full time.
I ended up buying a business that I could run absentee owner, but my bosses at the agency didn't see it that way and made me resign. I sort of had an out of body experience at that moment. The way I was let go wasn't on the up and up I found out, but I am not a retaliation type person anymore. God doesn't like ugly and that's all I will say about that.
So, I was unemployed. Well, not exactly; I had this business. I loved it. Things were going were going great until my PCOS kicked up ten notches and forcing me on my back along with some unfortunate circumstances that unfolded at the same time leaving me back at square one.
I am now homeschooling both girls. This is the second year with both. We are slowly building a great rhthym. We are still very non traditional, in my opinion. I do not buy a big box curriculum. I tell them,"you have to know math, reading, writing" the rest will fall into place.
My support system is smaller than when I started. I have family talk about me and my children and saying that I am harming their development. This hurts, but they have no clue. They do not see the progress we are making and the knowledge they are obtaining. If my naysayers would educate themselves on public education vs. What I can facilitate as a homeschool mom, then I would be open for a discussion. Until then, they can kick rocks.
Right now, we are living life. I explained that if they wanted to; they could graduate school early. They like this in theory. Some days, they will work for several hours to get a lot done and then slack a day. I do not force the extra work. It's up to them.
I am loving being a stay at home mom! My husband finally supports this move and we are ok. We are learning to simplify our life and passing it onto our kids. We are having more family time and that time is also used to educate our children.
Where do I want this to go? I want to road school! Jump in the car/rv and drive this country learning about all it's wonders and experience it with my children. No tuition would ever be able to pay for that experience!
Jess
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