Homeschool Reverb #11 - Turning Point

Did you have a turning point in 2011? A point where homeschooling became easier, or conversely, more difficult?

Did your circumstances, your mindset or your child/children's mindset suddenly click into a new groove with a certain subject or with your homeschooling routine?
Did unexpected life circumstances throw up new obstacles? Maybe you and yours had more than one turning point. . .

You could call it a new groove. The school groove.

Arwen has been at home with me for the last 12 years, except for the one year of preschool where she managed to meet her best friend and cry every single time I dropped her off. When I say 'at home with me', I did allow her out now and then! Dance, gym, co-ops, classes, friend's houses, sleepovers. Her education, though, was firmly in my hands.

Earlier in the year Arwen came to me and said she wanted to go to school. We tussled over it for a time, this desire of hers for a new adventure, a wider circle. For  a while I thought I could 'fix' it with  the right activities, the right homeschool friends - where were these friends ? - the right teaching style.

My own turning point came when I allowed myself to accept that home education was not meeting my daughter's needs and that turning myself inside out to try was not the answer.

We've enrolled her in an all-girl school, one with a performing arts program. She's already dancing in a school ensemble and the school has been nothing but helpful and positive at the prospect of a homeschooled child in their midst. "She shines." a teacher told me.

School starts in February. Grade Seven. A gaggle of girls from all over the place, little fish suddenly in their very big pond.

At times I've felt like Houdini, turning myself inside out to accept the value of a schooled education, albeit one that is chosen by the student, without diminishing my love and great respect for a home education. A big task as I enter my tenth year of home education, for Snowy and Lucy remain happily at home.

For more turning points and blog prompts, please visit Rebel Homeschool or click on the swooning lady button on the right of this page!