And we have a decision.....

With next fall creeping closer and closer, the schooling decision has been keeping me up at night. What is best for our kids? What is best for our family? Is there really a right and wrong answer? A couple weeks ago, after much introspection, observation and evaluation, I came to the conclusion that full-time homeschooling is just not an option for us. It would not be what is best for our children, nor what is best for our family for many reasons; the main one being the dynamic my relationship with Kayleigh. I'm not ashamed to admit we just need some space.

After I reached that conclusion, I began researching other options, two specifically: Coram Deo Academy and Liberty Christian School. I have a dear friend who works at Liberty and thought I could get a job there quite easily, allowing the kiddos to go there and me to make some money. While I liked that option, I really preferred Coram Deo, since it offered the chance for Kayleigh to "go" to school and to also homeschool part-time. To pay for Coram Deo, I would need to continue with childcare; two childcare kiddos would pay for both my kiddos' tuition and supplies, so if we wanted/needed extra money, I would need to keep more. In essence, either option would require me to work 40-50 hours a week, which is something we do not desire for me to have to do--want to do, ok, but not have to do.

So, we talked about it all a couple nights ago...at 10:30 pm, which must be the magic time for good conversations! We came to the opinion that while a private school education might be different than public school, it is not necessarily better, especially in this area where we have some pretty darn good public schools. Therefore, at least for us, the cost of private school, both monetary and family (i.e. me having to work full-time), is just not worth the different educational experience. We also believe that having involved, committed, Christ-following parents can compensate for the negative aspects of public school.

That being said.....Kayleigh will be starting Kindergarten at public school in the fall! We do plan to "afterschool" in history, science, and Latin to start out, and she'll go to the kid's program at church for Bible. I really want to find an American Sigh Language class for kids her age; she talks with her hand all the time and even makes up signs, so I'm thinking this could be an interest of hers.

I'm going to continue doing childcare until William is in school, and after that we are planning on me working part-time. This way I can have the flexibility to be a room mom, go on field trips, etc., and be the keeper of our home.

Of course, this is not a forever decision as we will be re-evaluating periodically, perhaps transferring to private school later on, but for now I feel at peace about the decision and am sleeping much better!

Isn't he just the cutest little boy you've ever seen?!

Same smile!

Some dear friends found some pics of Miss Kayleigh from Dec 2004....was she really this little? Looking at her now, it's kinda hard to believe! I love this smile!