School at the End of February

 Honestly, I think I would label last year as the toughest year of parenting ever. That's saying a lot, because we have done really tough parenting many years. The last thing that seemed logical was to bring the only three in public school home and add them to the already crazy homeschool schedule. The main concern was Julia, as she does much better with a strict schedule of her day and was excelling in school. I just really stuck with the fact that I felt like it was the right thing to do for everybody, including Julia.

All in all, I am happy to report as we advance towards the end of the year that I really think it was a success. Julia has done much better at home than any of us dreamed and Tori has finally given up, after about nine months, trying to convince us to put her back into school. That doesn't mean it has all been easy, just easier than we pictured back in the fall.

Part of the ease is having everyone on the same schedule and eliminating all the school bus time, paperwork, field trips, etc. A major stressor before was also the many days that public school cancelled for ice and yet the homeschool classes were still going. Now everyone is at CC together rain or shine.

 I always have bigger plans for the school year than reality and this year is no different. I am trying to lay my spring fever aside and focus on finishing strong - at least until garden weather!