Summer has struck....

My great run of posts, like a blogging Ty Cobb or non-gambling Pete Rose, was broken by the onslaught of summer. It has taken a out-of-town doctor visit with Grandma to slow me down enough to take stock of the first two weeks of summer.

A few items to update -

Paul vs. Anti-Homeschool at Church, Inc. - I'm afraid this case has turned against my best hopes, although I've moderated my outrage a bit. After talking with our new HR director, it has become apparent that it was not Marcus and Naomi alone that were causing the fervor over children on campus. Several other employees of the church have had children on campus, and let's just say not all of them are teacher's pets. It seems that my kids are victims of the 'if not all, then none' rule of fairness. In other words, even though my kids are well behaved and welcome on campus, I have to abide by the rules set for all employees.

Now for my real, unreasoned feelings.

Now I, the well-intentioned, hard working, doing the best for his kids father, am forced to find child care so that my kids won't have to stay in church.

Let that sink in.

Imagine Samuel, instead of being raised in the temple, being sent to Happy Hebrews Kinder -Kare.

David, instead of playing harp for the king, playing a beat up french horn in the middle school orchestra.

Jesus, at 12 years old, turning to his parents after teaching the elders in the temple, and saying, "You found Me! Thank G0d, (I mean thank me), now I can get back to the
Boys Club?"

My point remains that my productivity did not decrease while my kids were on campus, and their lives were richer and more connected to people of faith. I can't see the negatives anywhere. But as a team player, I know it's more important at this point to maintain our fragile workplace community than to raise sand over the ignorant comments made about homeschooling. Yes, it will cost more to have someone watch them during Mondays and Tuesdays, but my goal will continue to be to reach a point where I will not have to choose between work and family, but that the two become synonymous and synchronous.

- Curriculum vs. unschooling - not exactly a true summary, but we are closer to putting Naomi in either a virtual academy or another type of structured curriculum. We aren't worried about her development, but it's clear of the two, Marcus is the self starter. We've convinced him to keep up the Virtual class in science, and we did his first lab while at Grandma's in West Palm. Not fun having red food coloring all over us (and not on the onion that was supposed to reveal plant cells), but he was willing to keep working, so it's worth the effort. Both of them are also excited about Power - glide, the language program that Miki was raving about. The next two months gives us time to review the options while Marcus and Naomi gallivant about Pensacola.

- Chris vs. Brokeness - Ah, the teenage years, where the biggest crisis is whether my girlfriend calls and whether I can avoid looking like a dufus in front of my friends. Well, my oldest is with us farther into the summer than usual, which means Miki and I have uttered the time honored words that will stay with my son for years to come....

Get. A. Job.

Mind you, Christopher likes the concept of money, but he has not yet connected to the fact that ours is not his. Neither does he understand that once his is gone, there is no more unless you have a ..... what is that thing called?..... an income. In-come - money comes in! Wow! Not out - go, as in out of our pockets. So we sent him on the trail for applications in a dress shirt, slacks, and the fresh faced haircut that says, "I'm an industrious, willing individual! Of course you'd hire me!" To which fresh faced young man each manager smiled and gave Chris a website address where he could apply.

What?

No face to face interview? Not even a paper application for sweat and tears to drip upon as you try to remember your first grade teacher's phone number for that for - sure recommendation? (Ms. Ward always said I was her favorite...) Has the internet stolen every opportunity for face-to-face humiliation? 'Fraid so. It seems that even in the world of teen employment, lawn jobs and paper routes have been replaced by questionnaires asking my son if he sometimes disobeys for fun. I mean, really. What self respecting applicant is going to click the "I'm always a pain in the you know what" box?

Anyway, there will surely be more interesting info to come out of this summer - hope I survive the first month.

Looking unto the hills,

homeschooldaddy