Life is funny.

If you had told me, even just two years ago, that I’d be homeschooling one child let alone all three, I would have burst out laughing.

We didn’t set out to homeschool.

Homeschooling found us.

Our oldest child floundered in public kindergarten. Within a few short months, our joyful learner’s smile was gone. We scrambled, searching for a way to fix things.

Strike One:

In the end, after some testing and a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad meeting, we found ourselves homeschooling. We landed here without much warning. At first, we were scared and flying by the seat of our pants, but within one week our little guy was smiling. And that said it all.

We haven’t looked back. Even on our hardest days, there has never been any doubt in our minds that homeschooling our oldest was the right choice.

Strike Two:

In a blink, it was time to think about kindergarten for our daughter.

Despite huge reservations, we registered her for kindergarten. She wanted to go. We gave the public school another chance. After all, we have three very different children and you just never know. What didn’t work for one might work well for the other.

And, for a couple of months, it went well…

… until it didn’t.

I don’t need a third strike.

My youngest will be five in September. I was supposed to register him for kindergarten last week.

I was supposed to fill out the paperwork and get there early and wait in line, making small talk with other parents who can’t believe it’s time for kindergarten.

I didn’t fill out the papers. In fact, I recycled them as soon as they entered my door.

I didn’t wait in line.

I can’t imagine going through all of that again:

The waiting. 

The hoping it will be different this time. 

The wondering if they get it. 

The stalling on the part of the school. 

I can’t picture myself walking through those doors again.

Life is funny.

Two years ago, I never would have imagined myself on this homeschooling path. And yet, here I sit, almost two years in, and I can’t imagine myself, or our children, anywhere else.

I don’t need a third strike, folks.

I’m out.