How it all started - for us at least

Mom told herself that she would never 1) write a book 2)have a baby at home and 3) home school her kids. The last of which led to the other two. I think the idea came with our crazy neighbors. Considered unusual by most standards a family that didn’t eat sugar, made their bread from scratch, had babies at home, and were planning on giving their children a home education. She was a smart sophisticated woman who planned on making millions one day, and he was the stern, hardworking, independent type. They had 3 beautiful children 4, 2, and 1 which was great match for my family with me being 4 and my sister being 2.

Making cake with my mom

I have just vague memories of that apartment but it was a joyous time, playing in the yard, making cake with our mothers, playing dress up, and other wonderful things. These are fleeting fuzzy memories for me, but for my mother this time was setting the ground work for a transformation that would forever alter my family’s life. She was getting to know these strange neighbors who were wonderful kind people whom my mother came to know and love.

In front of our apartment

When I was six we moved into a new house, and a new school, I had the year before attended a private school at a local university, and was now repeating kindergarten, not because I needed to but because the school would not let students as young as I into 1st grade. I had a wonderful kindergarten teacher who cared deeply about her students. I was always the first student to complete my work, which I loved because she who finished first got to pick her toys first. Although school was easy I enjoyed it, I had a best friend in my class, a great teacher, a fun play ground, heck I even had a boyfriend for a day, life was good.

My first grade class (yes I don't look very happy)

Then first grade rolled around, my new teacher was mean not just to me but to all of her students, my best friend had moved, and school was still too easy but now there wasn’t any play room to go to when I was finished, I had to sit at my desk and wait for the other students to finish. I have always had a fairly good attitude about life so even at 7 I didn’t complain but my parents could see a marked change in me. I was mopey, and unmotivated at home. I didn’t smile as much and spent more time alone in my room. At school I felt alone, and disconnected. I didn’t have any friend, and although I don’t remember being teased, I felt rejected by my peers. At recess I would wander the playground alone wishing that there was someone who would play with me, but there never was.

It was after this year that my mom remembered our odd neighbors from our old house and decided to home school. So instead of sending my sister to kindergarten and me to 2nd grade my mom my somewhat unqualified mom (at least in the eyes of experts) started our grand home school adventure.