Someone asked me today the dreaded S question.  What is the S question you may ask?  It stands for socialization.  That is always the first thing someone asks when they hear we are home schoolers.  My answer:  what do you mean by socialization?  Do you mean do we have any friends?  Do my children have manners?  Can my children carry on a conversation?  Or do we never leave the house and just stare at the walls all day? 
So think about it people.  What does socialization mean?  Just because they don't spend six hours in a group of thirty children the same age as them all day doesn't mean their not social.  Where do kids get their social skills?  Should they get it from the next 8 yr old sitting next to them?  How about learning it from me their MOTHER.  Now if you keep your kid locked in a closet all day they are going to have some behavioral problems.  But home schoolers do not generally do that.  They see the way I interact with the checker at the grocery store.  Or they learn at girl scouts, dance class, karate class, karate tournaments, horse back riding lessons, piano lessons, or just our weekly play date.  Not to mention at least one friend a week coming over to play or swim.
How does school set us up for real life?  At what point in your adult life do you find yourself surrounded by 30 people the same you are hmmmmmm?  We are able to met and befriend a diversity of people which seems helpful for later on. 

Okay my first blog.  I guess I will start with a little about myself.  I am a mommy first.  Nothing is more important or fulfilling than that.  It is the hardest and best job I have ever had.  The next fascinating fact, that is near and dear to my heart, is I am a home school mom.  I would not say we are a traditional home school family.  Yes we are conservative and yes we are Christians but that is not why we choose this.  No we do not focus on bible study.  The reason for this was strictly educational.  We were very disappointed in our current school system.  I believe that the public school system often lets our children down.  I believe it is an important part of our society but it needs some work.  Do I know how to fix it?  Not a clue.  I always tell people when you send your kids to college you don't send them down to the local community college you try your hardest to send them to the best college you can find.  So why don't we start that from kindergarten? I can go on and on about this subject but.....................wait I will go on and on its my blog!  One of the first things people say to me is "that would be so hard, so much work."   Actually I've discovered its easier.  My oldest went to kindergarten and I was always there.  PTA meetings, baking cookies, Halloween party, Christmas party ect.  Not to mention dragging the child out of bed early every morning and getting them to school and back.  Add in soccer practice, dance class and your exhausted.  Homeschooling is much more laid back.  We leisurely get up (I don't even own an alarm clock) have breakfast and go to our school room.  We follow a schedule of work that takes about two hours and were done.  We may go to the store afterwards.  "Hey kids why don't you give me directions to the store as I drive."    There you go a practical lesson I just snuck in.  "Oh look at the fawn laying in the grass.  A doe will leave her fawn in a spot and they won't move until she get back."  Nature lesson..... I then interject with a funny voice of a deer berating her child to stay put no matter what.  Which by the way is called personification.  Wow that's a grammar lesson.  See the learning never ends.  What's the secret to running a happy home schooled family.  I just figured it out this year.  Go ahead get a pen out so you can write this down I'll wait.........................Get a NANNY.  Okay I'll admitted I have a fabulous nanny.  I didn't always but I can tell you it sure helps.  I'll write more later but it's way past my nap time now.