When I first started homeschooling, I thought I could buy curriculum for Spelling, Math, and Grammar, and just read good books for Science and History.  Even after reading every book my local library had on homeschooling, this was my first instinct.  Boy, was I wrong!!

  My first year of homeschooling, I purchased an "all in one" curriculum package from a company my friend used.  I did this, mainly, because as a new homeschooler, I really just didn't know what to get.  Let's see, the math and spelling in the package was too difficult for my son, but the grammar seemed to work.  I absolutely hated the science!  The history was ok, but not what I thought it should be.  By the first half of the first year, I was making up math pages on the computer, using our curriculum grammar book, and had ditched everything else.

  The summer before my second year of homeschooling, my friends and I attended a homeschool convention.  A very, very dangerous event!!!!  WOW! This convention had everything under the sun: computer curriculum, all-in-one, a different way of teaching math on every corner.  Everything was beautiful, colorful, exciting, unbelievable! It was the mother load, and I felt like Dorothy when she finally made it to Oz and the whole world became Technicolor!  I became obsessed with finding "the almighty perfect curriculum" for my son!

  During this same time period, I also discovered "The Rainbow Resource Catalog"!  It was like a convention at home, though not as colorful.  I read it. I actually read it all the way through-several times!  (I know, it's sick!)  If anyone was asking about particular curriculum, I would jump in and almost quote the description from the catalog.  People asked if I had used that curriculum, and they were surprised when I said, "no".  Soon, I developed "Compulsive Curriculum Purchasing Disorder".  (a phrase I, personally coined!)  I began buying science kits through the mail, "perfect" history curriculums, books, books, and more books!  I did end up spending a lot of money, but I really didn't have that much curriculum, in my opinion. For the next 2 years, I continued like this.

   Our fourth year of homeschooling began in 2006.  I was sick of catalogs!  Sick of it all!  By this time, I had a math and a spelling curriculum that worked for us.  That is all I can say.  I have a history that has already been revised due to mistakes!  I have a science that is way over my son's head.  What to do? What to do?

  All my studying, obsessing, and shopping has gotten me no where!  I think I will keep the math and spelling. We have a grammar workbook from a bookstore we are using.  For everything else, we shall read! 

    Do any of us actually remember the timeline of historical facts? Dates? The Battles and Wars of everything and everywhere? Probably not!  My first interest and recall of retention of anything historic, besides Bible stories, came in college.  What details do we remember about science?  I remember my mom reading books about flowers and trees.  I remember that a diamond is the hardest mineral and if it is "real", it will cut glass.  I remember a few other things, too, but not a whole lot!

  I guess what I am saying is that I am trying to recover from my disorder, and, finally, follow my instincts.  My son will not remember the details about everything we read, but he will remember that his mom read to him, and wasn't too busy obsessing with bloodshot eyes over catalogs.  He will remember being cuddled up under a blanket in winter.  He will remember that his "teddy bear" liked the story.  He will remember having lunch on a blanket in the yard in fall, with a mom, a sandwich, and a book about dragons.  He will remember what counts!! And I will know that, in the beginning, I was not wrong.  Time well spent, good books, and love is the best education that I, personally, can give my son.  From now on, I am going to try and follow my insticts!