Homeschool Socialization

Aron told me some guy he knows has a kid who goes to the school across the street from us. The guy asked why we homeschool (so many reasons and my main ones aren’t religious, by the way) and if we were concerned about socialization.

Aron told the guy we have a super-social son (a little like me) who can’t ever get enough … 24 hours a day with several of his friends is honestly not enough for him. He would love to be the oldest of the Duggars, we joke.

He also told the guy our other son is not social at all and takes a long time to warm up to people (like my husband). I kind of wish I was like that because then maybe I wouldn’t get burned so easily by crazy women “friends”.

Our oldest daughter would probably just be the way she is no matter what … she’s strong-willed and pops in and out of being social (like me and my mom).

Eva’s just a sweet pea tornado so far who will most likely be happy homeschooling and having her brothers teach her how to write (I hear this happens a lot in big families, whether they homeschool or not … the mom is doing dishes and all of a sudden her older kids have taught the younger one how to do something cool)!

I would like to add to the conversation this tidbit: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS SOCIALIZATION CRAP?” Google “homeschool socialization” and you’ll find some great stuff about how crazy the socialization hierarchy is in school. When else in your life are you segregated by AGE? Not in college, where you’re with all ages. Not in the workplace. Not even when you get married. My man is 5 years older than I am, and it works for us. My mom socializes pretty good with her husband, who is like 12 years younger than she is. But she didn’t learn to do that in school.

This post got a little long, so tomorrow I’ll continue with snotty school kids, how I know homeschooling isn’t for everyone, and how we socialize.

Women Annoy Me

A friend from high school who is now a Facebook pal told me she enjoys my Dennis Miller-like rants. I was pretty flattered. But you really haven’t seen anything yet. Maybe a little taste of the real me in the post “A Surprise Unexpected Accidental Mistake” … which I’m pretty sure annoys many people who don’t like taking responsibility.

Women really annoy me with their “I should get equal pay for equal work and the guy should clean house alongside me [I agree with these things, by the way], and then they blink their big doe eyes when they become pregnant and go, “I don’t know HOW that happened. Hmmm. I could’ve SWORN he told me he had a vasectomy. I must’ve been listening wrong.” Look, even if your tubes are tied and you use 10 layers of condoms, ALWAYS ASSUME YOU COULD GET PREGNANT. It’ll just make your life easier.

Watch out, readers, because I’m even more opinionated than I’ve been letting on. I just can’t let my true self show until I can afford a bodyguard.

By the way, Happy First Communion today, Joel! Hopefully we’re eating a nice meat/cheese tray and a nice fruit tray and a nice big cake with lots of family and friends.

Breaking the News to Ryan

One night as we’re falling asleep, Callie says, “If I marry one of Ciara’s brothers, I’ll have to tell Ryan that I can’t marry HIM.” (Ciara is her new best buddy who has 3 brothers!)

I say, “I think he’ll be okay with that. Ryan’s probably going to marry God anyway.”

Callie: “He can’t marry God. God is a boy.”

Me: “Hmmm. I just meant he might become a priest. Then he can marry you and one of Ciara’s brothers.”

Callie: “Huh?”

Me: “Yeah, it’s confusing. Just go to sleep.”

Kool-aid Kocktail

I’m not a drinker; never have been. But lately I’m feeling hormonal and on edge and am raising my voice too much and I WANT A DRINK.

But I can’t have drinks. Rather, I WON'T have drinks. My life is crazy enough without growing a kid born with fetal alcohol syndrome and knowing it was my own damn fault. I like to keep my fetuses nice and healthy, if I can.

To have a healthy baby, I think my stress level needs to not be too insane. So instead of alcohol or pot or cigarettes or Valium, I turn to sugar. Sugar and music.

Chocolate chip cookies are always a good bet for putting me in an excellent mood. Same for a tall mocha coffee or a Mr. Pibb. And some rock and roll. Or some oldies. Or some current naughty pop music.

Lately I make up a batch of good old-fashioned grape or cherry or strawberry or orange Kool-aid in a tall Old Spaghetti Factory (cherish it if you have one of these restaurants in your town, you lucky dog) glass with lots of small ice.

What makes you feel better when drugs are not an option?

Aron will say, “go fishing.” Paul will probably say, “meditation” … which I’ve tried and I can’t seem to sit still. Ellen will say, “organize something.” Eva will say, “pray.” My dad will say, “go for a walk” and Mom might say, “watch a TV show where their lives are much crazier than yours.”

I’m Gonna Be a Moving Girl …

… when my kids are all grown up. For some reason, the day I was home with my own 4 kids plus my friend’s 4 kids was the day I was able to move the couch, the big plants, the glider, the toy ottoman, and more. Thank God for nice weather so the kids were outside all day!

My friend thinks she really put me out by having me watch her kids for 2 days while she went to Chicago, so nobody tell her that I got so much done. The hardest part was playing Waitress and Dishwasher, but then when her kids left, it made my normal daily work seem like so much less! It also made me feel like a real a**hole friend for complaining about space when my friend has about half the space I do and the same number of kids. So I’ll be shutting up now.

Do you move furniture around a lot? Do you have a spouse or roomie who changes it back while you’re asleep (there’s a little of that going on in my home lately, but I am exerting my “Female Gene” for once)?