I'd love to start this blogger on the right foot, you know, eager, excited, with good news to share...unfortunately, thats not how today went...

Don't get me wrong, I AM eager, excited, and totally commited to this experience, we just got off to a rough start today, thats all. My son is 11, a 6th grader. Back home in California that made him top dog on the totem pole in the elementary school he had attended forever. But a move here this past December launched him into Middle School. I feel like scary music should play in the background when I say that! Its been tough on us all, to say the least, but as the people who made the choice to move across the country, my husband & I don't feel we can complain. But the kids can. Somedays they do. Somedays they don't. Its not that we moved to H-E-double-hockey-sticks or anything, but the school system leaves MUCH to be desired. My kindergartener is having a great experience (thank heavens!!) but I saw no other choice but to pull my AJ from the system before he was emotionally and/or physically hurt. There was this amazing sense of relief that came with making that decision - for him and for me! Oh, I'd absolutely change all the bad incidences if I could, but going back is not an option...and really, I'm starting to see the blessing in disguise. Homeschooling is a whole new world...and there are mini-worlds within. We haven't chosen a style or a curriculum as yet...letting him "detox" for a couple weeks - hey, he'd be on vacation from public school right now anyways. Besides, truth be told, I already tried rushing in & ran smack into a brick wall! So I took the advice of a few admired HS moms & backed off. The trouble this week is that now he seems to think I SHOULD be making him do stuff, eyeyeye. We've explored the library and depleted their supply of Calvin & Hobbes books, gone on nature hikes,  and found ways to turn everyday stuff into learning experiences. We also picked up stuff from the parent/teacher store to keep us headed in the right direction until we can really get our feet wet. I nominated my husband to be designated Science Teacher Extraordinnaire & so far they've made water bend. Yep. Bend. I don't know how, but they do.

There is a curriculum convention in just a few weeks....looking forward to covering every inch of it!