Okay, the driving part wasn't - I logged over 400 miles yesterday, but the rest of it was great! First, when we got there, there was a long line, but thanks to the ticket-sender, we got to go through the members entrance, which is great because neither of the kids are really all that good at waiting in long lines yet. Also, in addition to maps, etc. for the adults, they gave out little information booklets for the kids, which both C.O. & C.J. loved, and carried with them for the rest of the day. We got in just in time to see the feeding in the giant main kelp forest tank, and they loved seeing the man in full scuba gear go in to feed the fish. The sardines in the tank were actually really beautiful, like a moving silver cloud, constantly shifting. We managed to see the entire place, with one break for lunch. The kids got to pet rays, and to feel starfish. They saw everything from sea turtles to anchovies. C.O.'s favorite - jellyfish! There were a number of tanks, and an art exhibit, related to jellies - just incredible. If you have never really looked at a jellyfish, you should - they are incredibly beautiful, kind of alien. C.J. liked the sea turtles and the otters a lot, especially the otter playing with a frisbee. Both love the manta rays, and are in fact, today, making cloth manta rays at my mom's house. C.O. was also very interested in the sharks. I think we may have to do some studies on sea creatures now! They both spent most of their lunch time drawing fish that they had seen - C.J. did an amazingly accurate picture of a sunfish, not a pretty fish, but she did draw it very well.
The drive back did seem to take forever, and was the only part of the day that was not fun. My mom and sister were in the car too, and at one point, started questioning me, again, about the whole homeschooling thing. Why do I want to do it? (I can think of a dozen reasons without trying). Didn't I like school? (Not really, thank you). The schools here are so good. (They said that about the school I went to as a child too, which was the school that didn't ever teach my sister to read - I taught her when she was in third grade). What if C.O. falls behind? (He's already ahead, so unless I stop him from learning at all...). Do I really want to spend my time with him working on school stuff? (Yes, I enjoy it). What about friends, field trips, sleepovers, etc? (Weren't we essentially on a field trip going to the Aquarium?) The charter school I mentioned doesn't have fantastic test scores (like that's all that matters as far as a school's accountability). What about supplies? Finances? Don't I want to work full-time? (NO). I feel like I am stuck in a loop - I keep trying to explain to them they hows, whys, and so forth, but I'm not sure they're hearing any of it. Even when I mentioned that I may have found a local homeschool playgroup, they were very unenthusiastic ("that's not the same as having recess everyday"). They also said I misrepresented school to the elflings. Yes, I did tell C.O. he would have to spend a portion of each day sitting at a desk/table. I don't think that's a warped version of the reality of school. I never said that he would spend all day stuck at a desk. I did tell him he would have to listen to the teacher, and ask to go to the restroom, but that's true too, and he has to listen to me at home too (though I can't say I've ever made either child ask to go to the bathroom). Yes, he would be given homework to do in addition to spending all that time (5.5 hours) at school every day - they do give kindergarteners homework these days - I asked the local public school about this. It isn't a lot for someone that age, but it still exists! Basically it all comes down to their assumption that I am going to make my children into uneducated freaks, who will have no friends, and no ability to get along in the real world. My mom wants to go to the charter school meeting with me to see what she thinks. I haven't had the heart to tell her yet that just because I am going to the meeting, it doesn't mean I will enroll C.O. I very well may still choose to do it all on my own, and that is my decision, and my husband's decision, not anyone elses. It's just so frustrating! Why can't anyone other than M & myself really see that C.O. and C.J. are already learning a lot, that C.O. already knows a lot of what they would be taught in kindergarten, which by the way, isn't even mandatory as far as I know, since C.O. won't be six until next year! Maybe after the next year of homeschooling, just maybe, they will come to realize that I am not mistreating my son by not sending him to a public school.
{{HUGS}} I say, you need to just stop discussing it with your mom. Say something like, "Thanks. I'm fully aware of how you feel about this," and then pass the bean dip, as they say.
ReplyDeleteI've heard some great things about Pathways, btw. Some unschoolers I know of write up a newspaper of what they've studied each month instead of turning in workbooks pages and such. They said the hassle of accountablility is worth the discounts on the classes, like karate and horsemanship.
Anyway, good luck with your mom. I emailed you about gymnastics and wanted to add that the place we go is structured gymnastics and the other place my friend told me about is more of fun free-play place. Just depends on what you're looking for, I guess. :)