Probably not. But I am on Facebook. Are you?

On Saturday, October 13, 2007 I will be giving three talks at a day retreat for mothers at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Parish in Concordia, Kansas. For more information, please email the coordinator, Lindy Meyer.

In an effort to tackle at least part of what has come up in the open thread below, I’ll address one of the most frequently brought up topics: Homeschooling. I hear from people all the time about homeschooling. They want to know: what is my homeschool philosophy, what curriculum do I use, how do I do it, why do I do it, and do I think they should do it too?

Well, geesh. I don’t often write about homeschooling because when it comes right down to it, I’m a bit of a reluctant spokesperson. But now, since it is the start of a new school year, and since I am crazy enough to say things that might alienate me from people on both sides of a hot topic, I’ll share with you the whole truth of my thoughts about homeschooling.

I love homeschooling. And I hate homeschooling.

— I love that I can give each of my children specialized, personalized education that meets them where they are and is flexible and adjustable as their needs change.
— But I hate the burden of being responsible for my children’s educations. I hate lying awake in the middle of the night sometimes quite certain that I have failed to meet an 8 year old’s needs for map skills or Latin flashcards.

— I love that I am truly connected to all of my children — even the older ones — and that their father and I are the first people they come to with questions or problems, big or small.
— But I hate that my kids aren’t answerable to any adult who is not a parent for their schoolwork — a simple fact that I know motivated me as a young student.

— I love that our daily schedule is built around our family’s needs and preferences and does not revolve around an outside institution.
— But I hate giving up the long stretches of quiet I know I could have in my days to write, to read, to scrub a toilet, to just breathe, if only I would send my kids to school.

— I love that my younger children truly know and love their older brothers and sisters and that the none of my big kids considers himself “too cool” to accommodate a 5 year old or entertain a toddler.
— But I hate that my littlest ones don’t get as many stories read aloud to them by their mother as my oldest ones did at their age.

— I love that my kids are spared the negative influences of peer pressure, materialism, and just plain cruelty that permeates so many schools’ social structures.
— But I hate the burned out, never-done feeling that threatens to overwhelm me some mornings as 8 children accost me with grammatical crises, algebraic emergencies, geographic quandaries, and a desperate need for apple juice all at the same time.

Since so many homeschoolers must continually defend and explain our decisions, it can be tempting to sugarcoat the entire experience — at least in public. We are so busy trying to sell homeschooling all the time, that we don’t dare to admit any of its shortcomings. But I don’t think we do anyone any favors by failing to admit that homeschooling is sometimes an enormous sacrifice or by pretending it’s an ideal for every family.

Homeschooling is not perfect. It is an awfully hard commitment to make and to keep on making. And yet I always find my reluctant self admitting that it is the right one for me, for now, for one more year.

to say:
Wow, you guys can totally run this blog thing without me. You’ve got some great questions and some great conversations going on down below, even a pregnancy announcement or two to round things out a bit. Perfect! Really! I am impressed. I need a night’s sleep before I tackle any of it, though. (Yes, I was up late talking with my sister solving all of the world’s problems again. What do you know? They just don’t stay solved.) See you tomorrow!

We love you. God bless you today and every day!

My sister is visiting, so that means you all get to do the work today. This is an open thread — ask me (or readers) anything, tell me (or readers) anything, or make a suggestion for a future Your Turn question. If any questions are interesting enough, I’ll follow up with an answers thread later on. Have fun and be nice!

I am thrilled to have found this place: All Cupcakes, All the Time.

Mudroom floor, halfway there.

Dan and I went out for a rare evening alone the other night. We had a great dinner with great, uninterrupted conversation, and then went to see The Bourne Ultimatum. I really like these Bourne movies, what with their not-too-over-the-top action scenes and their tough and yet vulnerable main character. And I would be happy to give you all an in-depth, heart-felt review of this latest installment, if I had not unfortunately … slept through almost the entire thing.

Dan would nudge me. I would stir, struggle to focus blurry eyes on Jason Bourne as he fought off some bad guys in … hmmm, is that Spain? And then fall back asleep on my husband’s shoulder.

Dan would nudge me again. I would stir, struggle to focus blurry eyes on Jason Bourne as he drove a car off the roof of a parking garage, wonder about the ramifications of such a maneuver, and then fall back asleep on my husband’s shoulder.

Poor Jason. He would have to carry on without me. Poor Dan, who assured me that if this were our first date, it would surely have been our last.

If you are a Bourne fan though, not to worry. I believe that my temporary bout of narcolepsy was more of a commentary on my lifestyle and on the extreme kind of overdrive parenting required before leaving 8 kids with a sitter for the evening than on the quality of the film. In fact, when The Bourne Ultimatum comes out on DVD, I plan to rent it and watch it again … this time while sleeping on my couch.

Sunday Coffee Cake from the always fabulous Fannie Farmer Baking Book.