A friend of mine and I were discussing labels and how we as homeschoolers like to label ourselves and others, to try to fit other homeschoolers neatly into some sort of definition whereby which we know how to handle them and their ideas.

Hmmm....we've homeschooled since 1995 (or '94? can't remember). It's hard to fit all we've done for school under the umbrella of some sort of label.  As we just moved here, I went to a homeschool meeting the other night, my first one in this area. It's the end of the school year for most of us, but I definitely wanted to connect with the local christian homeschooling community and I was very glad I went. I came away with several things though.

First was---Gosh. I am old.  :) 

But seriously....it was humorous to me to sit and listen to moms debating about which history curriculum they ought to use with their 6 year olds. (I could answer that easily--doesn't matter. I promise you when they're 10 or 12 and you ask them about it, they WILL have forgotten it!)

Ok, that aside..I had several moms who, on realizing I had kids in high school, wanted to hear what curriculum we have used for this or that subject over the years.

It's a difficult question to answer (and I still stand by my mostly tongue-in-cheek  thought after using the local ps independent study for 2 semesters for my oldest ball-playing son, that legos and library books will get you where you need to be by 9th grade). 

But my answer: it's depended on the year. Depended on the type of learners I was dealing with and their ages, whether we just had a new baby, just relocated, where we lived and the types of activities available or how tired I was in any given school year.  (Sounds really flaky when I go back and reread that, but it's the truth!) Some years we've used really 'formal' curriculum, some have been more hands-on and unit-y. Just depends. And when you respond that way, you can see the interest wane and their eyes wander as they drift away to someone who will just give them answers, by golly.

Not to sound like I'm being too hard on the younger homeschool moms. Just a reminder that if one is to stay the course, homeschooling-wise, there is a certain amount of flexibility you will have to have. (assuming you are homeschooling through high school)  I promise you, I've seen folks fizzle and burn out by trying to hold to too rigid a schedule or specific type of curriculum. On the other hand, I've seen the same from folks who were too loosey-goosey with no structure. We are more of the 'flow of the day' or 'rhythm of the home' type folks. There are better writers than I who have addressed this. Here's another. Good encouragement there.