Osmosis Mom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I am Nadia and I have been on the boards ever since the beginning. I have eight children and am (obviously) Muslim. It used to be that I was pretty much the only Muslim homeschooler here until suddenly we were a few!! My oldest just graduated college and my second is a sophomore (actually she began school as a spring admit, so technically still a freshman!!). My other children are boys 14 and almost 17, girls 11, boy 4, and girl 2. Keep me busy. Not sure what I can state as my personal interests. Have been occupied and busy with the Revolution in Syria and with doing some fundraising and public awareness events. Try not to get too bogged down with the daily human loss in order to stay with the Syrian People's demand for Freedom and choice of living with dignity even if it means getting killed for that. We live in NH, but are still looking to relocate back to MA as soon as financially viable!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegularMom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm late to the party as usual, but here I am anyway. I'm RegularMom. I have 2 daughters, ages 11 and 9. I've been homeschooling since 2006, since my elder dd was in Kindergarten. We homeschool for academic reasons, but we also enjoy the greater freedom the lifestyle affords. I don't post nearly as much as many regulars here, but I come here to read almost daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm late to the party as usual, but here I am anyway. I'm RegularMom. I have 2 daughters, ages 11 and 9. I've been homeschooling since 2006, since my elder dd was in Kindergarten. We homeschool for academic reasons, but we also enjoy the greater freedom the lifestyle affords. I don't post nearly as much as many regulars here, but I come here to read almost daily. I know you from another board from long ago! I forget that sometimes.....do you ever go back there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Michelle and I live in Wisconsin. I have four children and we're going to be starting our 7th year of homechooling next fall. I'll have my first highschooler, and I'll admit...I'm terrified. We are rather eclectic homeschoolers, but I'm finding ourselves becoming more 'traditional' with time. For hobbies I like to travel, read, crochet, blog, and do various other crafty things. I mostly lurk here, as I tend to feel a bit shy and overwhelmed - but I sure do appreciate the insight and knowledge of the Hive. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Hi, I'm Geo. I have six children ranging in ages from 10 to 38. My reason for homeschooling in 1987 is the same today...spiritual and educational liberty.I was a member on the old board, but rarely posted. I love the hive, and the Special Needs Board in particular. Edited June 22, 2012 by Geo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAmom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi! I'm LAmom because I live in Los Angeles not Louisiana. :D. I have 5 kids, homeschooling for 3 years. I'm from the Chicago area and miss it much! We moved willingly for my husband's work. He is a pastor here. We are oddballs, being reformed Christians, somewhat conservative, etc. Not many like-minded people in this little town. Do you think anyone will actually read every response?! Anyways, love all the help I get from this board....maybe sometimes too much when it comes to all the great choices of curricula. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Do you think anyone will actually read every response?! Yes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funschooler5 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Well, since Jean is reading every response....;) I'm Funschooler5, but should probably change my name to Funschooler6 (2 adults and 4 kids at home now). I've been around since the old boards, but I can't remember what my username was on there. I lurked more than I posted anyway. :001_smile: We've been homeschooling since 2002, when oldest DD was a kindergartner. I never thought that ten years later I'd have 4 kids! We are now officially odd-balls among our public-school friends, but are about average kid-wise with the homeschoolers we know. :lol: This fall I'll have high-schooler, middle-schooler, grade-schooler and the baby at home, which is a little daunting to me. Gulp!! DH and I both work from home now, which has been great with our new baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi! I'm LAmom because I live in Los Angeles not Louisiana. :D. I have 5 kids, homeschooling for 3 years. I'm from the Chicago area and miss it much! We moved willingly for my husband's work. He is a pastor here. We are oddballs, being reformed Christians, somewhat conservative, etc. Not many like-minded people in this little town. Do you think anyone will actually read every response?! Anyways, love all the help I get from this board....maybe sometimes too much when it comes to all the great choices of curricula. :001_huh: Yep. :) Well, since Jean is reading every response....;) I'm Funschooler5, but should probably change my name to Funschooler6 (2 adults and 4 kids at home now). I've been around since the old boards, but I can't remember what my username was on there. I lurked more than I posted anyway. :001_smile: We've been homeschooling since 2002, when oldest DD was a kindergartner. I never thought that ten years later I'd have 4 kids! We are now officially odd-balls among our public-school friends, but are about average kid-wise with the homeschoolers we know. :lol: This fall I'll have high-schooler, middle-schooler, grade-schooler and the baby at home, which is a little daunting to me. Gulp!! DH and I both work from home now, which has been great with our new baby. Jean is not the only one. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I am from India and a mom to an eleven year old boy. I chose the screen name "Free" because the idea of "Freedom" resonates with me. However, I realise now that it probably was a bad choice considering the multitude of "Free curriculum" threads over here. My son goes to school, but we afterschool with all the wonderful resources that I find on this board. I am a fan of relaxed, child led schooling and found the idea of "rigourous education" to be opposite to what I was aiming for. But then I found this board about a year and a half back and lurked for a while and everything made so much sense. My son is quirky and different and reading about other children with similar issues like mine finally helped me understand my child better. I am glad I stuck around because the WTM boards have had a huge influence on my parenting style and on the educational goals that I now have for my child. And after years of vacillating, we finally even got a puppy for my son because many of the WTM posts on pets convinced me that pet ownership was a vital part of a wholesome childhood :tongue_smilie:! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaLee Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi I'm Luna, not my real name, but I like it alot. We've been homeschooling since 2007 (dd since 7th gr.) and my oldest just graduated, currently I have an 8th grader (ds hs since 3rd). For the most part my kids went to a really great school, but I mainly started homeschooling because I don't think all children were made to be in a classroom. As time has gone on, there were other plusses; my dh works swings and weekends so if we didn't hs, he would hardly ever see them. For my dd, she has been able to do some pretty cool things that have shaped who she is growing up to be, and I'm not sure that would have been the case if she had been in ps. I like the classical model with a little CM thrown in, but mostly I do what works for my dc, which isn't necessarily the same from year to year. I've been on the boards (old and new) since we first started homeschooling, or shortly thereafter, and WTM is the book I wish I would have read first, so it's the book I always recommend to newbies. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm SKL. I discovered this board last summer when I was looking for acceleration options for my youngest. I stay because I can relate to / learn from many of the discussions. I have two five-year-old daughters who just finished KG. I homeschooled one daughter last fall, then took up "afterschooling." My experience is a little different from most here, because I'm a single working adoptive mom. But I still feel like part of the family (even if I'm the odd cousin). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Grover... because I like Grover. I'm in New Zealand and have a 5.5 year old DS and a 3 year old DD. DS is homeschooling (kids start school on their 5th birthdays here) and DD is tagging along. We never intended to homeschool but ended up here because school was not a good option for him, still waiting to see what DD needs. I'm still trying to work out what kind of homeschooler I am - moderately formal so far, with some project based learning and a hankering for Latin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaNZ Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm Emma. We've been homeschooling for 3 years now, since my oldest turned 5. We have ds7, dd6, ds4, ds2 and a little one due to arrive sometime in August. I really ought to stop having babies, but I love them!! We have sadly left NZ now and are back in the UK where I grew up. I'm still grieving the loss. I hope one day we can return there for good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Do you think anyone will actually read every response?! I am, although it will take me awhile. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Happy Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Ro and I've been homeschooling since 1999. I started with my step-daughter from my previous marriage. Over the years I've used MANY different homeschooling methods and still spend many hours pouring over curriculum choices. I've been lurking on these forums for many years, but was always too lazy to sign up. :D I'm here now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Ro and I've been homeschooling since 1999. I started with my step-daughter from my previous marriage. Over the years I've used MANY different homeschooling methods and still spend many hours pouring over curriculum choices. I've been lurking on these forums for many years, but was always too lazy to sign up. :D I'm here now! I'm glad you signed up Ro. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Hopscotch and I lurk mostly these days. I wanted to homeschool DD but DH is opposed, though he supports after-schooling. We are currently in Turkey for the summer, and may stay through the Fall if we can arrange it so that DD has more exposure to her father's language and culture. If that happens, I may be homeschooling anyway so that she doesn't fall behind in English, reading, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi! I have two children, 14 and 12, who have always been home educated. We currently live in the UK and take lots of "field trips." Last week we spent a few hours in France shopping. We learned that chipmonks can be pets!:lol: We did other things too but that is what will be remembered! We are Christian but home ed more for academic reasons. This means I use whatever curriculum meets the needs of my kids best. I have tried a lot of things over the years. I really miss Rainbow Resources. I know i can order here but really expensive. Which is partly why I am here. This board helps me make better informed choices for my annual visit to the US. Plus the social -- it is great to be around other people who home ed using the same materials I use! I want to add I use a kindle fire to post. Lots of mistakes i know. Also sometimes I touch wrong and end up in a profile etc. Not intentional. I have been wanting to say that but didn't know where -- didn't seem thread worthy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Oops double post - read last line Edited June 22, 2012 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Hi there :) I am 35 and have been homeschooling ds8 since fall of 2008. He's going into 4th next fall, and my dd4 will be joining us in her Kindergarten year for the first time. We live in the Florida Keys, and enjoy the parks down here year-round. In the summers we hit the pool as it's too hot to do anything else. We homeschool for mainly academic reasons, but increasingly I find it the best decision all around - social, family.. All of the above. I love it - it's the best job I've ever had! I love planning school around your family, as opposed to the other way around. I homeschool using Charlotte Mason's methods. We embrace technology too, as we believe she would have. I've been here since before the new forums were open, when I wasn't even homeschooling yet, just looking around. I was mostly hanging out at the Mothering forums then. I did a lot of research before I decided to homeschool. It was dh's idea :) My youngest (only 16 months) is sick and I've been up all night caring for her :( Edited June 22, 2012 by sagira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm Christy. I was on the old boards and have been around here for about 6 years or so. I have 2 dds and know about integrating Waldorf into your classical homeschool. Missing in action last year because we tried out the online public school. Now we are back and I feel much more confident again about what we do. In my spare time, I hang out on Ravelry, knit and spin. My hope for next spring is to get a fleece and involve the family in the processing of it before I spin it and knit a coat. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi! I've been around a little while, not too long. We're currently living in Pennsylvania, after moving here 5 years ago from Oregon when my husband and I decided on a midlife career change for him. We moved here so he could go to seminary; he graduated in 2011 and is just finishing up a year as a pastoral intern at a local church. Now he is looking for a job and we expect to be moving at some point in the nearish future. We have always homeschooled. My husband started talking about it when our first was just a little guy; I had never heard of it and was appalled at the idea. But I did my research and came to embrace it. Somehow I think we knew our kid learned a little differently than others and it's been the right choice. I am a non-income-producing stay-at-home mom. Lately I've been feeling like the last dodo bird, wondering how many of us are left. I had my kids late in life, so my career years are behind me. I will be 60 when my last (of only 2) child graduates! :001_rolleyes:;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulubelle Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I am Lauren. Aside from my husband, these boards are my main support with homeschooling. We are going on 5 years of homeschooling. My oldest is my greatest struggle. He was tested but not diagnosed, but I really think he is high functioning asperger's. I struggle whether I can keep it up with him and my other two kids. This board is full of so many golden nuggets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm Crissy (34) - married 14 yrs. with a 13 yr. old DS in Northern Delaware. I've lurked on the Hive on and off for many years but am only just now posting. My husband and I used to work for a homeschool supply store years and years ago before they went under (Great Christian Books). We homeschooled through kindergarten, for elementary school he went to a small public school where I used to work and then for 6th and 7th grade he went to an even smaller Christian school where I worked. Even though he was away from home for school, I have always afterschooled and summerschooled him. Now, however, for a variety of reasons we're bringing him home for 8th - 12th and utilizing the homeschool co-op through his former Christian school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavis Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Jamie and I've been lurking for years. I have one son who's always been homeschooled. I'm also happily married. I knit, sew and do felt work in my spare time. I'm so thankful for this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi! I'm LAmom because I live in Los Angeles not Louisiana. :D. I have 5 kids, homeschooling for 3 years. I'm from the Chicago area and miss it much! We moved willingly for my husband's work. He is a pastor here. We are oddballs, being reformed Christians, somewhat conservative, etc. Not many like-minded people in this little town. Do you think anyone will actually read every response?! Anyways, love all the help I get from this board....maybe sometimes too much when it comes to all the great choices of curricula. :001_huh: I'm trying. The responses seem like they doubled over night. :001_huh::D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 We love to read around here! I"m Chandi. We live on a small hobby farm in Wisconsin. I have 6 ( 4 girls and 2 boys) 14,10,8, 5.5, 2.5 and 11 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funmamacita Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm funmamacita and I am mostly a lurker. I love reading the boards, but I try not to login too often because I don't want to get drawn in and look up to realize two hours have passed! We homeschool our fabulous fifth grader and maybe-possibly-almost-a-kindergartener (deciding when to start kindergarten has been surprisingly challenging) in the southeastern United States. When I am not patiently spelling things for the two-thousandth time, trying to figure out what to cook for dinner, sneaking a book in the bathroom, or obsessively knitting, I am the editor of a local homeschool magazine, which is pretty much the most awesome job in the entire world. I find these boards inspiring, challenging, frustrating, enlightening, and addictive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) My name is amy g. But I go by my middle name in real life, so I feel totally anonymous here......even though I got dared into putting my own picture in my profile. I have 5 children the ages they are listed in my signature. They are all from my 20 year marriage with Dh. I just needed a little 8 year rest after the first 3. I was a 5th grade, kindergarten and preschool teacher before having kids of my own. I never intended to homeschool. I planned on being president of the PTA, driving a BMW, and keeping a clean house. When it became apparent that my oldest had some special needs, I brought her home from 1st grade, and have been homeschooling ever since. we are lifers as far as homeschooling is concerned. I outsource some classes, but none of our children will ever attend a traditional school. To that end, I guard against burn out, so I tend to be a bit of a slacker homeschooler, so I can pace myself and not lose my mind. Oldest Dd graduated from high school this year. Her company, DancingDogDairy.com continues to grow. I help her sell her soap at different farmers markets every weekend. In October and November, she has a booth at the Texas Renaissance Festival which had 490,000 attend last year. The management there wants her to travel to Colorado, and Arkansas and all of the other large festivals to sell soap and do her milking and spinning demonstrations. We are not sure how to work out the details of actually doing that yet. I do identify as Christian, because I have felt God inside of me, guiding me as long as I can remember, but that relationship does not include fear, spanking or homophobia, so I'm sure some here doubt the fate of my soul. I'm so grateful to TWTM. Both the book and the boards for helping me have the confidence to take on this lifelong project of homeschooling. I love my friends here, and hope I can give back some of the help and kindness I have been shown over the last 11 years. Edited June 22, 2012 by amy g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garddwr Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I am The Gardener, sometimes known as Sarah. I'm a nomad, not tied to any locale...although I'd really love to settle down one of these days. I've lived in several states in the US and multiple countries overseas, but the last time we moved I planted 11 fruit trees and it would be really nice to watch them grow up along with my kids! I homeschool because I've always wanted to. Teaching and learning together with my kids is my greatest joy in life. My husband asked me once during a tough period of morning sickness if it would be easier to have the kids in school--no, it wouldn't. That would take away the parts of mothering and home life that I love the most and leave me with all of the more mundane things (laundry, cooking, cleaning...) that I do just because they need to be done. Taking responsibility for their education gives me something to plan and dream and strive for everyday. Life is good when my mind and heart are fully engaged in tackling a challenge significant to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houseofkids&pets Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm Michelle. I have 3 kids (in my siggy), but am only homeschooling my youngest. We started hsing in October, 2010, due to learning difficulties that were not being addressed in the ps (ds was in second grade and he wasn't "failing enough" to qualify for services). Our family is amazed at the progress ds has made. He is such a hard worker!! I appreciate the posts from other members of this board. I am learning so much from others and am thankful that I found the WTM. I only wish that I had found it sooner!!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in NC Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I am Melissa in NC but now I live in MD. I have a curse and move every 6 years so it was foolish to include my state in my name. LOL. I have been homeschooling my 2 dd for 10 years and have been on these boards since the beginning, sometimes lurking, sometimes posting a lot. We homeschool for academics, especially with all the moving. My oldest would have attended 5 different schools by now if we did not homeschool. I love that I can guide them in what I found to be important in life. I have always received great advise on these boards and I have learned a great deal about different perspectives. Thanks to SWB for hosting us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Wow, has this thread grown fast! Have to come back to read the whole thing. lol I've been around for ever, and have learned a ton here. Pretty quiet person. I've homeschooled since oldest started 1st grade, and now have 2 graduates and a 12 yo dd that I'm looking forward to focusing on this year. Dh is self-employed in the heating and air conditioning field, and I do office work for him on a part-time basis. I love reading, gardening, and being part of our homeschool co-op team, and am looking forward to doing lots of crafts and such with dd this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegularMom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 That's right! I haven't been back there in years. Just don't have time. Do you go back there? I remember that's the board where I first asked about homeschooling, and you were one of the people who responded to me. And now, here we are. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My pen name is Gwendolyn Claire. Most posters probably have already guessed what my real name and old user name was. I have six children ages 1 to 19. We started homeschooling for primarily academic reasons. Academics is still a top reason, but spiritual and social and family reasons rank REALLY close also. OF course, then there are physical, mental, and emotional. We are definitely classical, but more relaxed than I picture homeschooling being. I believe unschooling and classical are practically next to each other on the circular continuum. Oh, and I am a cross over from the old boards :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I am the L in BLA5. (On a different board several years ago DH and I shared an account, and BLA5 was our user name.) This year I celebrate my 12th year of marriage, my 6th year of homeschooling, and the start of my 3rd, (and final), child's kindergarten year. DH and I are Christians, who homeschool for academic reasons, use a crockpot, wear shoes in the house, and let our children read Harry Potter. :tongue_smilie: I never set out to homeschool, my plan was to be a classroom teacher. After graduating from university DH and I married and moved to a new state while he finished his degree; since we weren't planning on being there long term and I wasn't certified in that state, I went to work for a tutoring company. It was the experience of working with the students there that put me on the path that led to homeschooling. We have homeschooled all ours from the beginning and plan to continue all the way through with dual enrollment for 11th and 12th. (That isn't to say that things won't change because as they grow it is possible one of mine could need something more than we can do at home.) I have enjoyed these boards so much as I only have one other IRL homeschool family who shares our family's emphasis on academics. Several of my children have had educational quirks that my ED classes did not prepare me for, (shocking, right), and I have found the posters here to possess a wealth of knowledge in these areas. I lurk more than I post, but I find my way here almost daily for information and recreation. :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 I think I've read every single post in this thread. I'm so glad so many people posted. It was nice to see so many familiar faces along with quite a few new faces. I think I learned a little bit about everyone. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bbj Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi! I am trying to come out of my lurker shell. I don't have any experience with homeschooling, so I have no advice for most threads, BUT we will be starting our first year in July. I have 3 bed bugs (admittedly praying for #4)..B, B & J and I have been married to the love of my life for 16 years. We are a Christian family and have been blessed beyond measure. Our homeschool journey has started because of dd's auditory processing disorder, complicated with bullying issues and a desire to make Christ the center of everything, including their education. This forum has been invaluable to me and I am grateful for the information that is so generously shared. Vickie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CupOCoffee Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Well, I need to catch up on 25 pages of intros since yesterday! But I guess I better put mine here as I never really introduced myself anyway. I am Theresa, married to Dh for 25 years. Dh is the stay-at-home-parent in our house, always has been. We've home-schooled since the start. We don't identify with any one "style" of schooling; we've tried a variety of things. While Dh is home with the kids, he is not the teacher; he admitted from the beginning that he does not have the spirit to be the teacher! He is there if the kids have problems or questions with their material for the day but I am the main teacher. Because of our situation, we live a night owl life, with major schooling in the evening and independent work for the day time. It's always worked for us, so we don't try to change it. I work full time at a major University in the Research Biosafety Office (I inspect research laboratories). I've been with the University a total of 23 years, at a few different departments. Let's see what else: about 6 years ago Dh was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, and about 1 year after that, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. So we have had some challenges, but we take each day one at a time. I love coming to WTM to just ABSORB the incredible knowledge here! Every day that I read here, I feel just a bit smarter and more confident that yes I can do this! This place is just the most inspiring (education wise) forum I have ever been on! I have learned to stretch and grow my definition of what defines "school"; I have discovered a whole world of resources besides what comes in my box; I have had my brain exercised by reading many of the threads here; I've at the laughed at the "crazy people" threads, and cried at the losses-- even though I don't post a whole terribly lot, but I do read here every single day. Well, I guess I better stop now! To the OP of this thread: Great Idea, thanks for starting it! ~coffee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnermom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hello all! This is my first official post but I have been reading these boards for quite some time (a year, at least). There have been many times I have wanted to post but haven't and after seeing this thread I decided to take the plunge! For starters, I have no idea how to put a signature on this, etc (I am using my iPad and can't seem to figure this out!). Anyway, a little about me... I am an at-home homeschooling mom to two very active boys, ages 8 & 9 (yes, they are only a year apart and no, it was not planned that way!!). I have been married to the love of my life for over 10 years. I have been homeschooling since preschool, although we did attempt a half a year at a private school and it didn't work out. We are a followers of Christ but we homeschool primarily for academic reasons with the intentions of putting them into a private college prep school for high school. Hmmm, what else...I love photography, baking, cooking, and exercise (running being a biggie, hence my username). My hubby is very well known in his industry and his hard work has allowed us to live very comfortably, something I am truly grateful for especially since I think I am a curriculum hoarder (is that possible???). I am looking forward to finally coming out of lurkdom and being an active part of these boards!! Also, I apparently like to ramble (sorry!) so I will end with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oasis Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm Michelle. My dh and I met online (in a chat room), and we've been married 11 years. Our dd is 8 yrs old, and our ds is 6 yrs old. I was homeschooled from 6th-12th. We homeschool for academics (our local public school's recent test results were 42% of the kids proficient or excelling. They noted this is the third year they have not reached the minimum requirement, which is 75%.) Another reason we homeschool is dh experienced bullying issues in public school, and said he'd never submit his kids to that environment. I work full-time as an IT Support Specialist in a law firm, and dh is the sahd. I was recently approved to work from home, and I'm SO excited, because my current commute is 55 miles (one way.) We're going to be saving $450 a month in gas costs! :D This should also help with time for homeschooling. I'm always so worn out when I get home, it's tough to get the kids' school work going. My dd8 wants to be a veterinarian, and ds6 wants to be a firefighter. It's fabulous reading everyone's introductions! Thanks, OP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I'm Apryl. We have been homeschooling for going on 4 years now. I pulled my girls out after my oldest hit middle school and I got fed up with the schools. We homeschool for religious AND academic reasons. We live in Tennessee, currently on a little farm. We only lease it though, and will be moving again by February. (which will be our 6th move in 5 years :glare:) Hopefully the next move will be it for a while. We have lived in Minnesota, Texas and Tennessee. My dh is in the process of getting into ministry. For his day job he works from home and talks to people on the phone a lot :lol:. He has worked for the same company for 20 years. We met when I was 15 and he was 18, got married when I was 16, had our first child when I was 20. Our twentieth wedding anniversary is in October. I've worked as a secretary, a bank teller, a payroll clerk, a share draft clerk, web site designer, online store manager, scrapbook design team member, have owned my own photography business, taught art classes, and was at one time a professional portrait artist. Now I do photography and art for fun, and wrangle animals and kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I have no chance to read all of these, but I'll add in case anyone else is reading (or curious). I'm Creekland - name comes from our pony farm where we raise kids ponies generally intended for the English show market. I was never on the old board, but found this one when I decided to homeschool our boys the moment my oldest hit 9th grade. I work in our local high school and wanted better academics for my own kids. It worked well for my oldest two (see sig), but my youngest wanted to return to ps for high school so he's there now as a junior this fall. I wish he preferred homeschooling... So, with my oldest two in or soon starting college and my youngest in ps, I suppose I "graduated" from the forum this past May. I'm still around though. It just feels weird to not be looking for curricula and planning, etc. I am still searching out colleges for youngest as if I were his guidance counselor. And, the pony farm? We're selling down. We only have 13 here now (used to have 28). Without my farm hands it's a lot of work. (If you want a young pony, broodmare, or stallion - or just like to train and want a project - feel free to e-mail! Experience required. ;)) Hubby and I plan to go on the road 24/7 when youngest heads off to college or soon thereafter. He's a Civil Engineer who owns his own business, but with the internet, a bit can be done remotely. I'll be giving up subbing (math/science) in the high school. We'll be selling our dream farm where we raised our boys (in PA near Gettysburg). Life changes... but I'll probably always be Creekland on the web! It's really strange when they actually graduate and fly from the nest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom25girls Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My name is Michele and I'm sure you can guess from my screen name that I have 5 daughters. I've always wanted four daughters since I was a little girl (Little Women was my favorite book) but we've been blessed even more than I had dreamed. Some of our girls are biological, others adopted from China. While I've only recently started posting consistently, (this year), I've been a reader since the old boards. In fact, I didn't know any homeschoolers when we began and my "community" was reading the boards (both here and FIAR). We've just completed our 14th year homeschooling (none of the girls have ever attended school outside of our home) and my oldest daughter will be leaving for college in the fall. It's both exciting and bittersweet for me. The kind folks on the high school board saved my sanity the summer before she started 9th grade. My four "littles" will be starting third, fifth, sixth and seventh grade in the fall. I'd imagined that choosing curricula would be easy at this point but I'm still losing sleep over it (this year's drama surrounds American History). We started homeschooling for academic reasons but over the years, I've added about three million other reasons for schooling at home. Three of our daughters are competitive gymnasts. My husband and I have been married for 26 years next month and our family is completed by two Golden Retrievers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2aejskajm Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I had so much fun reading these introductions last night that I forgot to make dinner but it ended with a date night & yummy Mexican food so it worked out beautifully! I have lurked here for a while and finally joined. So here's my intro... I'm Samantha and my hubby & I have 8 children that we homeschool. We are somewhere between Classical/WTM, CM, and unschooling but this past year has been mostly non-schooling (it was a rough year-my younger sister lost her baby boy half way through her preg, we were both pregnant due a week apart, and then she died of a heart attack a few weeks latter. We were super close so this obviously shook my world. Toss in pregnancy hormones & it wasn't pretty). Right now we are trying to get some normalcy back to our lives & focusing on homeschooling & planning/preparing for the fall is my current project. We homeschool, homebirth, and have a sort-of homestead so we are home alot, lol. I used to have more normal hobbies but I don't remember what they were, right now my hobbies are collecting children, keeping the cows & goats out of the neighbors yard, spending too much money on curriculum, and reading, of course. It's great to meet you all & I look forward to learning and contributing here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFG Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm MFG. I have been a lurker for a long time going back to the old boards. I read the curriculum boards for ideas and reviews and drifted over here for the fun. I thought of posting in some of the lighthearted threads many times but never did until this year. I still post rarely. My four children are all adults now. In fact my youngest graduated from college in May and got engaged last weekend. We are very happy with the people they have developed into. When our youngest started college, I got a part time job working retail and liked it well enough. Crummy pay and rotten hours but a chance to get out and earn a little so it balanced out. About a year ago, dh was given a temporary work assignment in New Zealand. We were in NZ from late June to early December 2011 and then early February to early May 2012. We plan to return soon for another 2 1/2 month period. Then home for awhile to plan and have a wedding. Not sure after that. The store where I had worked closed a couple months ago so I'll be a loose ends again once we are home for good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi, I'm Lesley. DH and I met online and we've been married for 10 years. We have 3 kids, 1 cat, 1 dog, and a bunch of fish. DH works for a leading tech company. He's the sort of father I wish I'd had when I was a kid and an amazing husband to boot. I went to school to be a public school teacher until DD was born, when I quit my job to stay home with her for "just 1 year." That one year became 2 and then I started looking into homeschooling. Our main reason for homeschooling is because I know what happens in public schools. I always tell people it's like being a waiter and refusing to eat at the restaurant where you work. LOL! Before being a teacher, I worked as an adult reference librarian. I thought it would be my dream job, but I quit after 6 months because I couldn't stand getting out of bed in the morning to go to work. It was the same thing every single day. I'm on a quest to lose as much weight as my youngest DD weighs (15 pounds at her 6 month check). Yesterday the kids and I biked to a track near our house and I half walked/half ran a mile. I thought I was going to die, LOL! But I did it and I was so proud of myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Hello I am Denise and I live in Florida. :lol: I am slowly working my way through all of the posts on this thread. I promise I will read every one. We homeschooled our 2 dds from K through 12 (with one year out to school). That is a picture of them below. We are Christians and were Republicans but have been re-thinking those positions since we have moved to the South (we are in NE Florida) I am too liberal, too feminist and too tolerant of the outliers in society to fit in with most of the church folks here. I have been told 'you can't be Christian if you believe X' too many times. sigh Now that I am facing a new stage in life (empty nest) I am having a hard time deciding what will come next. I need to earn some income to offset tuition for the girls and to rebuild our retirement fund, but I don't know what I want that to look like. Homeschooling literally changed my life, I see so many more optional paths than I did when I was in my 20's. My interests have expanded and every thing looks good. :001_smile: I am looking for my next 'thing' and really hope I find it soon. yikes...sorry I went on so long. Edited June 23, 2012 by Denise in Florida ETA: clarification about not fitting in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hello! I'm Dusty (yes, that's my real name). I'm 29 year old mother to three (6, 4, and nearly 2) and I've been married for almost 7 years. We live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. DH was born and raised here while I am a Yankee transplant. I was born in MD, but was raised mostly in Northern Virginia near the Quantico Marine base. I homeschool for faith and academic reasons. We are a pretty conservative Christian family but we are also big goofballs who love to have fun. On a side note, I have to mention that I am insanely jealous of all you large families! I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a few more children, but DH isn't so sure. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.