I absolutely love to read about the moms who unschool.  After 18 yrs. of schooling at home I have come to a realization about myself, I must have structure and routine when I homeschool.  This is true for me and my children.

Unschooling sounds so romantic.  I picture myself cheerfully doing a really neat science experiment at the table with nine kids watching excitedly.  They are all taking turns and participating in meaningful ways depending on their particular temperment and likes.

CRASH....reality strikes again as my 3 yr. old throws her plate on the floor to indicate she is done eating.  She doesn't always like to use her slowly emerging verbal skills!  Special needs kids thrive on structure and routine.  I learned this through much trial and error with my oldest son dx-aspergers syndrome.  Another variable in my life is the number of children!  My last five are all 7 and under.  I have had a lot of years of schooling from the rocking chair with a sleeping baby on my chest.  Even with structure I have had days where a quick head count reveals I don't know where one of my toddlers has disappeared to.

I admire all of you who school in a more relaxed manner!   My brain doesn't seem to operate that way, I need measurable paper and pen (crayon, pencil) progress.  After the books are put away of course the learning continues.  Yesterday Gracie came to me with a huge bull frog she caught out of our pond and said, "mom I caught a frog and she is pregnant!"  (science). My 12 yr. old son, Izaac, is currently fencing in the yard for me so the toddlers can be occasionally contained. (carpentry, math) My 5 yr. old Nina is learning to bathe herself. Last night she said, "Mom I used your new pretty pink soap to wash my arm pips!" (health)

In conclusion... today was one of those days when all my attempts at structure failed miserably!!  The workbooks have already been put away and I think we will work on character training for me. (patience is a virtue).

God Bless all moms are teaching their children at home, not matter how they do it.

....You are watching Intervention and you realize your drug of choice is chocolate.

....Your son and daughter are fighting and She says: "He called me stupid!"  and He says: "I did not call her stupid I called her LUPID". Huh?!

....You have so many children that when someone asks you how many kids you have you quickly change the subject!

....The bulk portions at Cosco are just "normal" portions for your family.

....You feel like "Mrs. America" just because you got to shower and wash your hair in the same day!

....you clean out your car and there are enough french fries on the floor to feed a third world country.

....a stranger asks you what "group home" you work for when they see your 15 passenger van! 

....You wish they made couches out of tupperware!

....you are tired of the tantrums and they are your own.

....your 14 year old and your 3 year old wear the same bows in their hair. (She says it's cool) Huh?!

...your 5 yr. old has a half-bald doll that she loves dearly and you tell her it looks scary and she says you are mean and runs to her room.  Then you have to rummage around the house to find an old baby cap for her doll to try to make it up to her.  (it really does look scary, honest!)

....You stay up until past midnight to make a slideshow and you are so punchy the next day your kids are looking at you kinda funny.

....When your kid is pouting you say, "you have some cute lips!"

There are many people who are kind and caring towards those in our society that are "different".  Then there is the rest of society.  You know who I mean....the people you meet each day that are worried about those five extra pound (to an obsessive level), the ones who are so afraid their son or daughter might not get to be prom queen, the neighbor who has to have the biggest house and the nicest car.  These people have pretend problems and while they spend their whole stinkin life worrying that they might not be perfect enough they over look a good part of our society that will never be perfect at anything. 

That kid who works in the  grocery store or at Burger King and just isn't quite right.  Or the child with down syndrome that you see and you are too "uncomfortable" to say hi to.  Maybe it's a member of your own household who is alone, lonely and doesn't fit in but isn't on your list of priorities once again. 

I am angry, some of these people who are hurting everday are close to me.  I know that I can never change society and the way they think, but I want everyone to know that they are more precious to me than 100 perfect, high-achieving, beautiful people. 

a mom with a hurting heart.