A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

My reflections on how homeschooling has made me a better human being.

I discovered that…

…it’s “on task” to read great books.

…it’s never too late to read Jane Austen.

…it’s perfectly okay to save quality literature for your 30’s.

…counting birds at a feeder contributes to the national research of backyard birds—hence ornithologist.

…I can finally divide fractions. And bake scones. And make quiche. And quilt. And count change.

…lying on the couch watching a DVD of a nun with an accent and buck teeth wander through caves and the Ufizzi makes me an art historian.

…Raffi is an incredible lyricist.

…I learned more history at home than in my major at UCLA.

…my children are brilliant.

…my children are completely different than me.

…my children are exasperating.

…my children will be okay without me.

…Ancient Egypt is astonishing, and so is Ancient Greece, and Rome—not so much, and the Dark Ages are called ‘Dark’ for a reason.

…I will always love Laura Ingalls Wilder, no matter how my kids feel about her.

…being home all day is a singular joy.

…making food for the people I love is deeply satisfying.

…studying tide pools is required education if you live on a coast.

…music is constructed in loops—a sequence that is repeated, and then another sequence that is repeated, and then the surprise! whether classical or popular.

…I can still ski, after 20 years!

…science experiments are hard to plan for, but when they happen, explosions and messes are awesome.

…Saturn, you know, the planet? It’s actually there. Not just in a book, but it can be seen through a telescope!

…a blanket and a night sky shared with your son is even better than the shooting stars we watch together.

…teatimes and poetry are my best memories.

…dress up clothes and face paints are not just for kids.

…being a kind person matters.

…schoolwork is painting, sculpting, daydreaming, sorting, Lego-building, poetry-writing, calculating for fun, saving money for a big purchase, helping a sister jot down a story, taking walks, talking, talking, talking, drawing illustrations, freewriting, Internet skulking, piano lessons, soccer practice, daytime TV, photography…

…support is not the same as cheating, help is helpful, understanding is more important than “getting it right,” and apologies cover a multitude of ill-advised coercions.

…learning never stops for any of us.

What I discovered as a home educator is that I thought my kids were the ones getting an education when in fact…

…it was MY re-education, all along.

I am a homeschool graduate.

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