Re-introduce yourself, no matter how long or short you've been here

[Parrothead]

I think often we don't notice newbies is because we don't have a dedicated introduction area or thread. Then they feel overlooked. Also the board moves fast at times. So if you feel like it introduce yourself (or re-introduce if that is apt) even if you've been here for a while.

 

I always suck at introductions so just overlook me if I sound stiff or weirder than normal

 

Hi, I'm Chucki the Parrothead. I was a lurker on the old board but signed onto the new boards not long after the switch. I have one child (dd12) and before dd came along I was a firefighter and a city cop in a small town in GA.

 

I'm a navy brat and moved frequently as a kid. Now my dh is a gov't employee and we move frequently. Currently we are in New England near the US/Canada border.

 

Our top reason for homeschooling is academics.

 

Okay, your turn.

[-M-]

Hi, I'm MFS, the same handle under which I posted on the "old" boards, beginning in either 2000 or 2001.

 

We began homeschooling in the summer of 1997, when my son was about to begin third grade, so we've just begun our sixteenth year.

 

The Misses are 14 and 16.

 

Our fundamental reason for homeschooling (academic excellence (read as "the pursuit of genuine learning")) remains unchanged, but unforeseen benefits of homeschooling regularly reveal themselves.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Mental multivitamin
To add information

[Impish]

I'm Imp.

 

Mom to 5 kids total. Eldest is in the Navy, rest are in my siggie.

 

Married to Wolf, hsing for 5 yrs, and living 1 armed in a 2 armed world.

[justLisa]

I am just who my username says.

 

We live near Seattle and I quilt, garden, and cook as my main hobbies.

 

I home school because public school is crazy. I like these boards because I have received great advice in regards to curriculum and such. And everyone is nice :D. Well, mostly. I have belonged to one internet forum other than this.

[happi duck]

I'm happi duck. I live in the states with dh and our two dc.

I love the information and different perspectives that exist on this forum.

I am really cautious about giving out information online.

We homeschool because we want our kids to flourish on their own time-frame.

[Mandylubug]

I am Mandy, wife to my high school sweet heart for 10 years and mama to four crazy kids.

 

We homeschool because our kids don't fit the PS "molds" and were drowning emotionally in PS.

[TravelingChris]

I am transientChris because my dh is Active Duty AF and we have spent the last 25 years moving around. I have been homeschooling for 18 years and have graduated two. My youngest is doing high school at home, on the internet, and in classes outside. I have been on this site since 1999.

 

My reasons for homeschooling have changed over the years- first it was logistical, then monetary along with academics, then family unity plus academics, and finally children's choice. Also, what I didn;t know was that I was successfully accommodating one of my kids whose Learning disability didn't get discovered until she was 17 and had already just about finished 12th grade with lots of scholarship offers. (and no, it wasn't a disability that could have been helped by earlier discovery since there is no way to re mediate it, just accommodations which I was doing anyway).

[Just Kate]

Let's see...I have been lurking here for a few years but only recently started posting. I have homeschooled ds since K, but he will be starting at the local Christian School this fall (along with dd who is going into K). I work part-time and had hoped to quit my job and become a SAHM, but dh and I decided that one more year of me working would be best. So I am hoping that my kids have a positive school experience, but that I can bring them home next year.

 

Hmmm...hobbies...I love researching and planning (what will I do with myself now that I'm not homeschooling??? :confused:). I also enjoy watching carp-tv after the kids have gone to bed when my dh is out of town for work (right now I'm working my way through Desperate Housewives).

 

I am just learning that I am an introvert (how I didn't know that about myself before, I'll never know) and that I really enjoy alone-time. :D

[Miss Peregrine]

I'm Amy. I have 5 kids and I have been homeschooling for 11 years.

I have been on the boards for almost 10 years and I used to be CrunchyMountainMama. :)

[FeFe]

My name is FeFe and I live in Indiana.

 

We have four kids ages 15, 8, 6 and 12.

 

I homeschooled for eight years but we use public schools now. It's bittersweet but it works best for our family. I still frequent homeschool boards because I still love homeschooling and quite frankly, I tend to have more in common with homeschool moms.

 

I like to decorate, craft, read, shop and hang out with my family and friends.

[tntgoodwin]

I'm tntgoodwin.

 

I'm a dad to the three princesses in my signature, and husband to their mother.

 

I am in the military, and grew up as a military brat. Lived all over the place.

 

Both dw and I were homeschooled (her for her whole school career, me just 11-12th grade), and we homeschool our oldest because the schools here do not impress us. Dw does not want to homeschool the children all the way through high school.

We will probably stop once we relocate to somewhere that has decent public schools, or until my job allows us to afford a decent private school.

[Mothersweets]

My name is Laura. I grew up a military brat. I like to knit, read, and am trying to get my garden to accomplish something this year. I"m also trying to lose the 30 pounds I have packed on in the last three years. Doggone high speed internet. :tongue_smilie:

 

We've homeschooled since 1996 - 4 have graduated and we have 7 at home now.

 

I love this board (Ravelry is my other fav) because it is fast, there is great diversity here, you can get great advice, and you ladies crack me up on a regular basis.

 

AND - I really appreciate how we can have a discussion about religion/beliefs without it degenerating into something ugly. It's pretty rare to see that anywhere else.

[catz]

I'm kck. Mom of 2 in the upper midwest. I was a software engineer in a previous life. My oldest went to 2 years of PS which was a disaster because he's an accelerated learner. We started homeschooling for academic reasons, but it's been great for our life style too. We're secular homeschoolers.

[Element]

Hi, I'm Sara. I have a history degree and a paralegal certificate. I haven't worked outside the home since 2007.

 

My dh has an accounting degree and works for a home improvement store. He was born with this genetic condition and he can do just about anything. He is my best friend and inspires me daily.

 

My ds is a kind-hearted aspiring architect. He has multiple tics but he is very bright. Public school did not work for him at all, but he has done very well this past year at home.

 

My dd is a tiny sprite of a thing who wants to be "an artist who lives in a forest cabin with a friend" when she grows up. This upcoming fall will begin her first year of homeschooling.

 

ETA: Fun fact- My (late) great-grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse and the vast majority of women in my family are/were educators. Amazingly, they are all supportive of homeschooling.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Element

[Blueridge]

Hi. I'm Ginger, I am a Christian, and I live in the Blueridge hills, although I am a native Texan. I graduated with a B.S. and have my teacher's license. I married my highschool sweetheart, and we have 4 daughters...2 graduated and 2 still learning at home. We have just finished our 21st year of learnin' them youngins'. :D We were living in the beautiful Pacific NW, when we first heard of teaching our daughters at home. We were about to enroll our only child into their local school that early fall morning, when we made an unrelated trip to the small Christian bookstore. They had a tiny section of homeschooling books. The owner saw us looking curious and offered some copies of articles concerning their local school system curriculum (yikes). We gladly took them to read, drove to the sea, talked and prayed, and decided to teach our (then) only daughter at home. A long time ago...and still the most wonderful decision we've ever made as a couple. What precious memories we've made! We "...took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference". :001_wub:

Edited June 22, 2012 by Blueridge

[melissad2]

I'm Melissa and I am fairly new here. I have 3 boys ages 5,2, and 2 months. I am homeschooling for academic and logistical reasons. I have been married to dh for nearly 13 years and struggled with infertility for 6 of those! I'm also a registered nurse and work part time for sanity and financial reasons.

[Chris in PA]

Hi,

I am Chris. I have been homeschooling for nine years. My oldest graduated last year and is attending the local state university majoring in psychology. My middle dd is a senior and my ds will be a high school freshman.

 

I have been on these boards since 2003 and I have been blessed by the wisdom here.

 

We homeschool for academic reasons and I also love it!

 

Oh and I am a chemist and my husband is a physicist.

[Mona100]

I am Mona100 and I have been on here for a couple of years and read the boards religiously but rarely post. I am a single mom with one 16 year old daughter that I pulled from school during 8th grade year due to emotional and behavior issues. She is doing much better now. I work in the medical field (in the lab) 7 on/7 off schedule.

 

We are doing the American school so she can get her high school diploma and go to community college because she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. That is what we are concentrating on now.

[Lorien]

I just did this over here on another thread.

[Slipper]

Hi, I still consider myself very new to homeschooling. I have three kids, two of whom I'm homeschooling. We started homeschooling mid-year last year after my youngest kept having stomach aches, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. After bringing her home, this has mostly ended. She enjoys schoolwork and I love seeing her sassy side emerge. My middle daughter will start homeschooling next year. She was labelled gifted a few years ago in public school and is competitive at everything she does, whether it's academic or sports. She also has celiac disease which occasionally puts her in bed for a couple of weeks (depending on how bad the reaction). My oldest has autism and is considered severely impaired. She enjoys her routine at public school and I have no intention of changing it.

 

We homeschool partially for medical reasons, mostly for academic ones.

[QuirkyKidAcademy]

I'm Tammy, mom to DS10, married for 19yrs, former public school teacher. Mississippi girl currently living in New Mexico.

 

We've homeschooled for 1.75yrs because it was the right decision for our family. We look forward to 5th grade with excitement and trepidation!

 

I've been on WTM for about a year now and am grateful for the advice I've received.

 

ETA: Hobbies? I'm supposed to have hobbies??? Does curriculum research count? :) I'm a reader, a scrapbooker, and I'd be a gardener if anything grew in this desolate place.

[Peaceful Isle]

HI! Lindsay Lamb here. :D I have my BA in elementary education and chose to quit my job and teach my own 3 years ago! I homeschool because I want to be the one teaching them. They grow up so fast!!

I spent the first year posting very little. I lurked and learned a lot. I love coming to this forum because I learn so much! It is also an out from the busyness of life. There are some wonderful ladies on here!

I am 34 years old, have 4 kiddos, and I am married to a pastor in AZ.

BTW, awesome thread! I am looking forward to "meeting" everyone.

Edited June 21, 2012 by mommyof4AZ

[Ipsey]

Oh, I'm so glad you're doing this, Chucki!

 

Ok, I'm Ipsey. I was on the old boards. . .just a teeny bit, even before my kids were of age to homeschool. (I don't even remember my old name.)

 

I haven't been back too long, I don't think. I haven't checked my stats (and I still don't know how to do multiple quotes).

 

When I was first on the board, I was a very Conservative, Evangelical Christian. Now I'm an atheist.

 

This past year, all of my children started public school so I could go back to work. We still after-school, and part-time summer school as well.

 

So. . .do I still belong here? Well, I love the insights of the folks here, and I know I'll probably get an answer to a question whether it's about Hasidism, tonsilectomies, and what math program best supplements Everyday Math (the horrific program our kids' schools use).

 

If I have a question, I always "take it to the Hive." So, I still feel I have a place here, even if most people don't know me.

 

Hi, everyone!

[MunRoLy]

Hi, I'm MunRoLy in San Diego. I have 4 kiddos and have been homeschooling for 10 years. I was on the old boards, then took a long break when the new boards started, now I'm back and love learning new things!

 

We love homeschooling and I can't imagine life any other way...although sometimes the thought crosses my mind that all my kids could be out of the house everyday...

[Carrie12345]

I'm Carrie. I'm 35. I am a Jersey girl even though my house is in PA. I have 5 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 1 husband.

 

My eldest was homeschooled for grades 5-7, but now lives primarily with his father. He just graduated from the elementary school and is starting high school in the fall, making me feel ancient.

 

None of my other kids have ever been to school. They have a smarter father.

 

I'm an atheist, eclectic homeschooler with a neo-classical base. I'm an SWB and MCT groupie. The Valley Forge mini-convention was probably my coolest home education experience ever. My kids are jealous of me.

 

I don't "get" kilts, but I'll take Johnny Depp in anything. Or nothing.

[Dandelion]

I'm Julie. :)

 

Mom of two (a boy and a girl). We homeschool because the traditional school environment was a terrible fit for DS (dx Asperger's/gifted).

 

Married 11 years - DH owns a government contracting company, and is a LTC in the Army Reserves.

 

In my pre-homeschooling life, I had an almost 20 year career in business (restaurant management, insurance adjusting/underwriting, and the last 10 years in high-tech management). I now work part-time in my own business, helping parents of kids with Asperger's deal with the unique life and parenting challenges they face. In my free time (;)), I serve on the board of a local Autism nonprofit, enjoy following local and national politics, and read copious amounts of non-fiction (mainly on Autism, neurobiology, psychology, business, and social media).

Edited June 21, 2012 by Dandelion

[Parrothead]

My name is FeFe and I live in Indiana.

 

We have four kids ages 15, 8, 6 and 12.

 

I homeschooled for eight years but we use public schools now. It's bittersweet but it works best for our family. I still frequent homeschool boards because I still love homeschooling and quite frankly, I tend to have more in common with homeschool moms.

 

I like to decorate, craft, read, shop and hang out with my family and friends.

Hi FeFe! I like your name.

[happymomofboys]

Hi, I'm Andrea. I've lurked on this board for a long time before I started posting. I've also lurked/posted on the Sonlight boards using the same username.

 

Before homeschooling, I worked in medical offices. Over the years I did filing, transcription, billing, and reception. My husband and I met at a sports bar in Savannah, GA. He was in the Army and that's how we ended up in NY. He got out of the Army a year and a half ago and worked as a civilian helicopter repair technician, but lost his job this past April. He'll be going back to school to get his mechanic's license in August.

 

We homeschool for a long list of reasons with faith and academics at the top.

 

ETA: My kids have never been to school. My oldest was in daycare until he was 2.5 and that was close enough for me. We take an eclectic-leaning-classical approach to our homeschooling.

Edited June 21, 2012 by happymomofboys

[AdventureMoms]

Hi! I've lurked here for a long time and posted for a bit now too.

 

I'm new to homeschooling though, my oldest is 4yo (girl) and I have twin 19mo boys. We live in upstate NY in a small house in a small city. My wife and I have been together for 8 years now, but got married just under a year ago (34 hours after it became legal!).

 

I have no idea what kind of homeschoolers we will be, we're just figuring stuff out still. Secular, for sure, but otherwise we're figuring it out as we go!

 

We hope to travel (both locally and around the world) with our kids, and one main reason for homeschooling is to allow us the schedule flexibility to do that. Academics are a big reason as well, and family togetherness. DW was unsure at first, but she attended a local school board meeting a year ago through work (at the time we were discussing the idea off *maybe* homeschooling) and came home saying "I'm soooo glad we're homeschooling". And that was the beginning of this crazy road that I hope to be on for a long time.

 

DD starts K4 this fall - we're very excited!

Edited June 21, 2012 by AdventureMoms

[Spryte]

Hi, Spryte here. :)

 

Another military brat who lived all over the place, then finally put down roots in the SW. Only to be uprooted when my one and only love re-appeared out of the blue and swept me back to the east coast. :001_wub: Wouldn't change it for anything, but I do miss the desert.

 

Homeschooling my 8 year old kiddo, and loving it. We arrived at homeschooling due to serious allergies and safety reasons, now we do it for academic reasons. I confess that my kiddo has a skewed view of the experiences of kids in brick and mortar schools, he thinks they have a lot of time in recess and the rest is spent on science and art.

 

Also have a little one wreaking havoc on our school days, and chewing on books. She devours them. :D

 

I love these boards. At first I spent way too much time on the K - 8 board, and finally caught on to the fact that doing so was prompting me to spend way too much time shopping on Amazon. Now I try to stay away from the K - 8 board unless looking for a specific answer. Much better for the budget!

[Lara in Colo]

I am Lara and I have been homeschooling for about 3 years.

I started out with an on line school which I was unhappy with, and while looking for something better, found this wonderful place.

 

My reasons for HSing are many and complicated.

 

I am a Christian mom to 4 little Scottish monsters (Thus the name of our school-a Kelpie is a Scottish "monster" so I basically named my school Scottish monster school)

I don't really have any hobbies and I spend too much time here.

 

Lara

[*********]

I'm Bethany. (Please don't call me Beth. I don't like it. :))

 

I have two boys that I homeschool. My stepdaughter is going off to college this fall. She and I couldn't be more different than night and day, but we love each other. My stepson is 15 and goes to public high school, which is... intersting.

 

We are a Christian family. We homechurch. I wear a headcovering while fellowshiping.

 

I like to sew. :) My husband works hard long hours for us to be able to do what we do. And I am blessed.:)

[amyable]

I'm Amy and have been lurking/posting since the old boards. We've been homeschooling for 9+ years for mulitple reasons - academic, health, LDs, religious, etc. My oldest (with the LDs) enters high school (at home) this year and I'm quaking in my boots.

 

I'd love to say I'm a crafter or artist, a writer or supermom, but really I just bumble along and try to keep my house somewhat under control and my kids alive, and occasionally feed my addiction to office supply products. Oh and because so many people misread it, I'd like to say that my user name means "amiable" not "Amy Able". 'Cause I'm not. Able, that is. Amiable is debatable (just ask my kids).

 

Despite the fact that I've a sensitive, melancholy personality, my favorite emoticon is :lol: and my favorite acronym is LOL. ;)

Edited June 21, 2012 by amyable

[edeemarie]

My name is Erin. We are a Christian family that lives in Ohio awhere we homeschool our 4 children. I am married to a wonderful man who happens to work as a police officer but also served as a Marine in Iraq where he received 2 Purple Hearts (and I received many grey hairs:lol:). We have homeschooled from the start and will continue as long as it works for our family. I love cooking and currently most of us (my husband is not quite ready to give in yet) are eating grain free and refined sugar free. I have learned so much from the forum and you all inspired me to start a blog too:)

[wendybird]

Hi, I'm Wendy. I am mom to 8 kidlets(listed in my sig). I am a homesteader, so I have a nice low post count!We have numerous animals keeping me busy on top of homeschooling since 2002. I have mostly lurked here for several years now. I have been married to Brian since I was 18, 16 years ago. I am one of those "will not fit in the box no matter how hard you try to get me there" weirdos. Headcovering,skirts only,dreadlocked,politically liberal,religiously conservative,tattooed,pierced,quiet,shy,nature loving,quiverfull minded enviormentalist. :tongue_smilie:

[KatA]

I'm Kat. I've been married to my web developer husband for 5 years. We have a 3 year old son. He'll probably be our one and only. We are planning to begin homeschooling in 2015. . It sounds funny to say that like we're super planners or something... I'm just here soaking in information.

 

I started staying home with my son last year. I take it a day at a time, I start thinking I need to plan our days better but then I end up feeling overwhelmed. We just read and spend time outside. But right now he has a stomach bug so he's cuddled next to me watching Oswald.

[Tmhearn]

I'm Taryn. My kids will start 3rd grade and kindergarten this year. (Plus a 2 year old and a baby due in August.) They have not been to b&m school yet. I had intended to send my dd to school eventually, but each year we have decided to continue with homeschooling. The more I am on this board, the more confident I feel to continue through high school. (Not because I am confident in my abilities, but because I see how many different options there are for homeschooling.)

 

I also come to this board for emotional support. I'm a private person irl. So I like to come here and read about all the other moms who are struggling with the same things that I am. (Misery loves company??? Ha ha ha!)

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Hi, there. :)

 

I'm Heidi @ Mt Hope. I have four kids. The three oldest are boys (10, 8, and 5). The youngest is a spunky toddler girl who rocks our world.

 

I've been on the boards for over 8 years (I read WTM before getting pregnant with my 1st!). We've been homeschooling for 5 years. We participate in Classical Conversations and my two oldest boys are on the swim team.

 

I am a photographer and a blogger. My husband is in IT and participates on the swim team with the boys! We have lots of supportive family nearby, and most of our family and friends homeschool.

 

We live in the GORGEOUS pacific northwest. We live out in the country in a heavily agricultural area (and just down the road from my parents and one of my sisters), but we are only 2.5 miles from town with all the amenities and also the major interstate which goes from Canada to Mexico. We have 3 large cities (including the Portland metro area) within an hour from our home, a college town next door, mountains and the ocean (and major recreational areas) just an hour east and west of us. It is rainy and green with lovely distinct but mild seasons here in the valley, but we can get to the high desert in less than 2 hours.

 

Our top reason for homeschooling is to present learning as a lifestyle and something that we actively choose and enjoy rather than something that happens to us in a designated building.

[raceNzanesmom]

Hello~ I'm Angie. I've been married to my college sweetheart for 22 years (as of last Saturday). We have two boys, almost 19 and 8. The oldest came home after 6th grade- so we just finished our 7th year of hs'ing. He's now a sophomore in college and plans to utilize his talent in graphics in some way. His dream is to own his own company and work for non-profits at a reasonable rate. The youngest is entering 3rd grade, so always been at home. We, orginally, brought our oldest home because he loathed middle school (6-8), but we quickly found home was the best place for academics, family unity, and spiritual growth. I'm very thankful for the hours we can spend studying the Word instead of jumping through ps hoops. Our oldest has also had some pretty awesome opportunities he wouldn't have had if he'd been in school all day. At 14, he was heavily involved in a local movie and, at 16, he spent several months working with the Billy Graham Assoc. on the first Rock the River.

 

Before hs'ing I worked for the school district. My most recent position was working one on one with an autistic student (best paid job ever!). I now hs our youngest and provide child care. I currently have 4 full time boys and 2 part time summer school age boys. Having a house with 8 boys in it can sometimes get rowdy, but I'm blessed by them all. And, days like today when no one is here until 1:30 is super nice, lol. I've also been a certified child passenger safety tech for almost 11 years. That's my fun. I also like to crochet, knit a bit, and digital scrapbook.

[kitten18]

I'm Amy.

I have two children, dd 8 and ds 6.

We homeschool for........um........academic reasons, mostly. I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly why we homeschool.:001_huh:

In my previous life, I taught middle school and high school Home Ec. I also taught preschool for a couple years.

[jar7709]

Good idea starting this thread!

 

Hi, I'm Jessica. I've been homeschooling only a year so I am still a newb but that doesn't stop me from having opinions. ;) We started homeschooling because my kids don't fit in the PS box but we are continuing because the kids are thriving and our family life is so much happier. I work from home in a science field and enjoy needlework and quilting. We are a non-religious family, books and science heavy, love road trips, curiosity, and adventure of all kinds.

[NorthwestMom]

I am NorthwestMom. I live on the Eastside of Seattle and homeschool DS (13), DD (10), and DD(7). Before kids I was a teacher for kids with severe multiple disabilities. I also have an unfortunate amount of experience caring for elderly parents, although that time has come to end, also unfortunately.

 

I always thought we would have our kids in public school and be heavily involved, making the school a great place. It took only 2 years to disabuse me of that notion. We have homeschooled ever since.

[dancer67]

I live in New England which I am not fond of. Been homeschooling 8 years. Married 24 years. Three kids. DS-22, DD-19, and DD 13.

 

I love to camp with the family,shop for shoes, work in the yard, dance, collect record albums, and more dance:lol:

[Bug's Mom]

I'm Terri, mom to "Bug", my 10 yo dd. Dh & I have been married 14 years. In our past life we owned a small guitar shop. Now he repairs guitar amps/pedals and I stay home with dd.

 

We live on the west coast of Wisconsin.

 

Bug has always been homeschooled. We enjoy the freedom to travel in the spring & fall. Our "plan" is to do this through 8th grade. Bug says that she's NEVER going to school. We'll figure it out, I guess....:D

 

I'm a knitter. I own some guitars, but haven't made the time to play much since I had dd. I need to change that.

 

We love to travel on Amtrak. If you've got train questions, ask me. :001_smile:

[Twilight Woods]

My name is Karen. I joined in 2011. We had planned on HS last year but decided to delay it a year b/c I was not ready. We will offically start are first full year In July Grade 1 & 6. I have 2 daughters 10.5 & 6.5. I work PT on the weekends my husband works FT in the IT field for a major pharmacutical company.

 

Currently we are HS for several different reasons... varies by kid. Older DD wantes to be a writer/artist/K teacher who lives on a farm with a big house. She plans on adopting 2 girls who are 10 and naming them Molly and Misty. She could play Minecraft all day long and knows just about everything in regards to Pokemon and the Winx Fairy. Younger DD wants to be what ever older DD wants to be AND a pediatric cardiologist b/c is't not fair that she never got to meet her older brother who passed away at 4.5 from HLHS. :)

 

I am looking forward to seeing where this leads us. :)

Edited June 21, 2012 by my3luvbugs990105

[Kalmia]

Hi, I'm Kalmia. I am a naturalist who used to work at a zoo and a nature center. I am an author (Nature Study for the Whole Family), and I homeschool two kids: my son who is 12 and my daughter who is 7. We homeschool for primarily for academic reasons and dissatisfaction with our local schools.

 

I am originally from Maine and get back there as often as I can. Right now we live in the mid-Atlantic region. I love to draw, work in my vegetable garden, hike, and read read read read! I love books! This board is great for me, because I get to express my inner librarian.

[higginszoo]

My name is Jerin, I've been homeschooling for about 10 years now. I currently live deep in the heart of Texas, but was raised a Navy brat. My dc all fall on the GT end of the spectrum, are all math/science inclined (though I have one who is also an artist), but my boys also have various physical, learning and emotional disabilities that sometimes make things interesting.

 

I have an approach to education where I read a lot about many different methods, take what works, and unabashedly leave the rest behind, so our format is a big mishmash, and is adapted for each child and their motivations and style. The older group are getting pretty independent now, and my role is more as facilitator than teacher a lot of the time. The older two have transitioned to mostly high school level work (though older dd will likely to to ps for high school in the fall of next year), the next one down unschools, but loves when I strew middle school level textbooks in his direction. The little one keeps me busy looking for things to keep her busy.

 

The whole family is training in Tae Kwon Do right now. My younger ds has his black belt and is a junior instructor. The older two are also junior instructors and they will be testing (as will I) for our black belts in the fall. Dh is about 6 months behind us in our training, and the little one is working on growing into things so that she can join us eventually.

We're also a scouting family -- older ds is working on his Eagle, younger ds will likely come home from camp Saturday with Tenderfoot completed. Older dd is a Juliette Cadette who can't wait until she's 14 and can join a Boy Scout Venture crew, and I'm leader of a county-wide homeschool troop for younger Girl Scouts (I'll take 5-10 year olds, though most of my girls are 7 year old Brownies).

Edited June 21, 2012 by higginszoo

[Bearcat]

I'll jump in and introduce myself as well. Have only recently joined and mostly lurk.

I live in Ohio and love, love, love it here but love to travel too. My husband and I are in the process of hatching a plan to ditch the home, get an RV and take this whole show on the road. We'll see if we ever succeed.

I am a mother to 3, ages 7, 5, and 2. Girl in the middle of two boys.

We homeschool for a few varying reasons but mostly because I believe kids should be kids and don't care for pushing academics on my children to early. Now that my oldest is 7 headed towards 8 we are starting to buckle down a bit with the learning but still have a rather "relaxed" homeschool. It suits us. Can one have a relaxed classical home? If so, I guess that is what we do. I believe in many of the tenets of a classical homeschool just delay the start a bit. :) Although, from what I've been reading of late it may seem that true classical education did start later than when we modern educators start things now...

Other tidbits about me: Love to read. Usually manage to squeeze in about 100-110 books a year but am badly behind this year. Love to cook and bake with fresh, whole foods. If I can make it from scratch instead of buying it I will try. Full disclosure: though I like to cook and bake from scratch I am not necessarily good at it. :) Bike riding and hiking are other ways I enjoy spending my time. I am LDS/Mormon.

Oh, and apparently I can go on and on about myself when prompted to do so.

[Kathy G]

Hi

 

I am Kathy and live in Iowa. Homeschooling 3 kiddos and working full time. DH works out of the home. We homeschool because my kids want to. They have all tried public and charter school and chose the option. I wasn't a mom "called" to homeschool and consider myself a reluctant homeschool mom. I look up in awe to those parents who knew they would do it the whole way through. Sometimes I don't know how I will make it through the next week.

 

That being said, I love the freedom of homeschooling

 

DS 13 takes 3 classes at the high school and homeschools the rest and DD 10 and DD 7 homeschool completely.

 

I am a physician, former chemistry major and DH is an engineer. We love math and science here. My DD both love art and that is my achilles heel.

 

Glad to meet you all!

Kathy

[hthnmamax2]

I'm Beth and I just joined the boards a couple of months ago. Currently live in Va. Beach with DH who's Navy.

 

We homeschool for mainly academic reasons but I also really enjoy the interaction I get with my boys. :D