Social Experiment #642

TO Homeschool or NOT to Homeschool... that is the question.

One month ago today, Aaliyah went to her last day of 4k until mid-April. I, being the impulsive and experimental parent that I am, YANKED her out of school (No, nothing bad happened..) to see if I could indeed homeschool my child without going totally bonkers.

Today we began day 1 week 4 and my mind changes every day. Some days I think I can do it. Some days I know I can. Some days I fear I cannot and some days I want to put her little tushie back in her 4k classroom so fast my head would spin. Mostly though, its been a neat experience... nice... wholesome... like last week when we took a nature walk and picked up everything green we could and pasted it on our green shamrock shaped collage. Or two weeks ago when we spent an hour each day at least reading together while little babu Ilyaas slept his morning nap away. Or like three weeks ago, we made bread together and I taught Aaliyah to knead prayers and well wishes into the dough... We have really spent better time as a family together in this adventure. I am more proud of my parenting these last 4 weeks too.

But the fear of keeping Aaliyah home is paralyzing at times. What if I make her into a social out-cast. What if I take my beautiful little social butterfly and turn her into an awkward quiet mouse? As a dear friend pointed out (and I'd thought about this already, so she isn't being mean to articulate it...) We already have a few points against us living in small town USA... we are Muslim... so its going to be hard on Aaliyah as it is! Now?! Am I actively making it worse on her by making her not just Muslim but a home schooled Muslim?!

So, I've decided not to outwardly think about it. Well, until Mid-May. By then I'll have put Aaliyah back in school, she'll have had her kindergarten screening and we'll be back on an even keel... I think. THEN and only then will I come down in my official ruling.

MYTH BUSTED: Homeschooling your child will keep them healthier.
FALSE! Aaliyah and I both got quite sick in this last month. We both ended up with the flu- like the fever, body aches, sore throat and cough kind! I haven't been this sick in years! It didn't matter that she was home with me or not in school with her peers... we still got hit.