Homeschooling Benefits

The benefits of being a homeschool family have never been clearer. When the whole world was turned upside down last spring and kids sent home to parents who suddenly had to be parents (oh, the horror!), nothing changed in our home. We had school every morning as usual and finished Kindergarten triumphantly. No falling behind. No worries about being scarred for life. And I didn’t have to write a blog post about on 1) how amazing stay-at-home moms actually are, 2) how overwhelming educating ones own children is – I give up!, or 3) how stupid educating ones own children is – sorry, teacher, you’re great but we quit. (And, yes, I did read articles under all three categories.)

With the new school year picking up a couple of months ago, nor did we have to wait with bated breath to figure out what the school district was going to do (and then wait again when they thought they figured it out…and again when they thought they figured it out again…and again…and again…) Nor do we have to worry about any stupid mask mandate. Nor cleaning every available surface every five seconds. Or quadrants on the playground. Or lunches at a desk. Or “contact tracing” which sounds like some fancy kind of new paper in art class. Emry’s not behind, not getting low grades, and not worried about failing Harvard’s entrance exam because of it. We just picked up where we left off. No worries.

But this morning I was reminded of yet another homeschooling benefit: Emry doesn’t have to choose to jump off the cliff just because everyone else does. You know how it goes. Half the kids have lost a tooth – why haven’t I? Maybe if I eat an apple every day one will come out. Or the other half of the kids wear Reeboks (oh, wait, that’s rather 80ish…Nikes?), why don’t have a I pair which I will outgrow in three months after my parents spend $100 on them? Or what about a Nintendo? Everyone else has one! I will write it on my Christmas list at least ten times. And mention it every day. Maybe my parents will get the hint. Just writing that conjures up memories…

However, Emry does go to dance class each week. And despite the fact that the girls are “social distancing” (everyone has a box outlined in tape they have to stay in), six feet is close enough to know if one girl has something she does not have. And this week one little girl just got her ears pierced. “And, Mama!” I heard this morning. “She’s only four!” 

Now, Emry has mentioned getting her ears pierced before, but it’s been several months. I think the last time she brought it up, I walked her through the whole process, and she decided having a needle more-or-less shot through her earlobe just wasn’t what she bargained for. But now that she knows a girl who is fourand has her ears pierced, well… We heard about it all morning long. So, I gave it some serious thought and asked Ed what he thought this afternoon. We came to a decision. Thankfully, for she brought it up yet again when I put her to bed tonight. And, on Saturday, she will get her ears pierced as an early Christmas present. And we will hear no more about it. 

Until some other little girl shows up at dance class with some amazing dance leotard…